Just in Time
by tradlover
Summary: AU. Eric & Sookie have belonged together forever. They just need to accept it. In this version Sookie is the one chasing, and Eric is resisting. A look at Eric's past - where we might just find Sookie. Rated M for future LEMONS and language.
1. Sookie's Life Changes

**_I own nothing, everything belongs to Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. I just like to play with Eric._**

**_This is my first fan fiction, so please be gentle with me! I'd love to know what you think. Reviews are the only way I know if my writing is worth it, or a complete waste of time. Please be kind enough to leave a few words._**

**_This is a non-canon story, completely AU. Imagine a world where Sookie and Eric are meant to be together, and Bill is nothing to Sookie. Imagine a world where Eric and Sookie know they are meant to be together, but a world where Sookie may have to play more aggressively to keep her vampire._**

**_Just in Time is well on it's way to being completely written now. It will never be a permanently unfinished story! I'm trying to post at least three or four chapters a week till the end._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

The night my life changed forever started out regular enough for me. I woke at 11 that morning, restless dreaming chasing me from my sleep. I wasn't scheduled to work until 7, and the pull of my old friend, the sun, lured me up and out of bed. Gran had raised me to be a good Christian, but I swear I feel closer to God basking in the rays of the sun than I ever felt attending services with Gran at our little church in Bon Temps. Besides, when you're a telepath like me, it's easier to pray to the molten god in the sky than it was to sit in church listening to the decidedly unholy thoughts of the outwardly devout congregation. I worshiped the sun all that day, my tan taking on an even more golden hue. I showered, ate a little dinner, and got dressed for work. Yep, just a regular old day for Sookie Stackhouse, right?

My shift at Merlotte's started off really regular for me, too. It was like just about every shift I'd ever worked at Merlotte's, and that was a whole lot of shifts of good ole fashioned regular waitressing. The bar was filled with the usual suspects, mostly all people I'd known my entire life. Bon Temps was a small town. My section was filled up that night with what I considered my regulars, a few folks who thought I wasn't crazy not matter what the rest of the town felt, and a couple of local guys who didn't care if I was crazy or not, as long as they could get a good look at my ass. I didn't even need to be a telepath to know that. Nothing new there. It wasn't until the Rattray's came in and took a seat in my section that I thought anything weird of the night. Mack and Denise Rattray never, ever sat in my section. Not since I'd poured that pitcher of beer on Mack's head, and that had been two years ago. They almost always sat in Arlene's section, or at the bar. I shrugged it off, serving up their beers with a smile, even though I was sure they wouldn't be leaving me a tip.

The night was starting to wind down, and it was getting close to quitting time for me when I got my next clue that this night would be one I'd remember forever. Merlotte's first vampire customer walked through the door, and he was sitting right in the middle of my section, in the booth right ahead of the dreadful Rattray's. Sam didn't look too happy with his new customer, but this was my first vampire! When the vampires came out of the coffin two years ago, I was like most of the world - dumbfounded, even though I had always secretly believed vampires were real. I'd dreamt of vampires all my life, ever since I was a little girl. Learning they were real was shocking, sure, but somehow I had felt vindicated. It was like the universe was telling me that the dreams that had haunted me my entire life had meaning. That maybe I had meaning.

The vampire was handsome, in his own way, tall enough, with thick dark hair falling over his forehead, partially obscuring his face. What I could see from my vantage point at the bar was a strong jaw, and pale skin, skin that seemed to have a faint glow about it. As I approached his table, the vampire raised his head, his dark, brooding eyes making first contact with mine. This certainly wasn't the vampire of my dreams.

"Hi, there! Can I get something for you?" I stood by his table, order pad in hand.

"Do you have any of that synthetic blood?" The vampire's voice was unexpected, the slow Louisiana drawl caught me off guard. I had never thought about there being vampires from Louisiana.

"Sorry. Sam ordered some when you guys first came out, but it went bad. It's not like anyone around here was drinking it. You're our first vampire." I smiled brightly at the vampire, plastering my Crazy Sookie smile on my face. The vampire was being a perfect gentleman, well, as much as a dead guy could be, I suppose. Still, there was something prickling in the back of my scalp, something telling me to be wary. Maybe it was his unwavering, unnaturally still gaze. "Can I get you anything else?"

"How about a glass of red wine?" Wine? Do vampires drink wine? "Just so I don't look out of place in a bar?" OK, that made much more sense.

"Sure, I'll be right back." I turned to go to the bar, happy to be putting distance between myself and the vampire. I can't explain the feelings I was getting from him, but it was nothing like I expected. Ever since the great reveal, I had been so sure I would react differently when I finally did meet a vampire. And here I am, totally weirded out by the first vampire I ever met.

When I turned to bring his wine to the table, I noticed with surprise that the vampire was no longer alone. The Rattray's had switched booths, and now the vampire was sitting with Denise by his side, the trashy woman nearly had herself draped over him. Even stranger, Mack was sitting across from the vampire, smiling like he'd just won the lottery.

"Here's your wine." I placed the glass on the table more forcefully that I would have normally, but this situation was getting stranger by the second.

"Thank you." The vampire looked up at me, his brown eyes locked into mine. "What is your name?"

I felt the strangest sensation in my brain when he spoke to me, like the words were physically trying to push themselves into my brain. It threw me of a little, and I just stood there gaping at him. What was it about this vampire? There was something different about him, more than just being a vampire.

"You don't mind Sookie here, mister. She's just as a crazy as a loon." Mack Rattray leered up at me from his seat.

Denise shifted herself even closer to the vampire, her eyes on me. She was shooting venomous looks at me, and even though I try very hard to never read the thoughts of trash like Denise Rattray, I felt my shields slipping a little, allowing some of her jumbled thoughts into my head. It must of been my preoccupation with the vampire that made me so careless. Her thoughts were stranger than I expected though, and that's saying something. When I felt her thoughts slipping into my mind, I expected them to be full of sex, like normal. Especially with how she was practically sitting on the vampire at the time. But her thoughts were far more jumbled than that. She was excited about something, sure. But it was thoughts of money dancing though her head. Money and blood.

"Thank you, Sookie." The vampire's quiet voice startled me out of my thoughts. As my gaze shifted over to his, my thoughts still tangled with Denise's, I realized something. I couldn't hear the vampire's thoughts. Nothing at all. Instead of teeming thoughts and images, the vampires mind was dark, shuttered. A void.

"You're welcome." I turned and walked away from the them, slowly making my way back to the bar. My mind was racing, unsure of what this meant. I had been able to read every mind I had ever encountered, in some fashion. Some, like Sam, were a bit more tangled, and hard to read, but every brain had content. Everyone except this vampire, that is.

"Sookie! Sook! Hello, are you in there?" Sam tapped on the bar, waving his hand in my face. "Earth to Sookie!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Sam!" I exclaimed when I realized he'd been trying to get my attention for some time. "I must have been off in my own world."

"Your last customers are gone, Sook. You can go home now, if you want." I jerked my head around in surprise. Sure enough, the vampire was gone, and with him, the Rattrays. I got up to go clear the table, wondering how they left without my noticing. Just how spaced out was I? I noticed, with no surprise, that there was no tip from the Rattray's, as expected. But slipped under the stem of the untouched wine glass was a crisp $20 bill. Not bad for a $3 glass of wine. I stuffed the bill into my pocket. I was never going to be too proud to take a tip.

"Good night, Sam. I'll see you tomorrow," I called, on my way out the door. I made my way to my battered, ancient car, sending up my normal nightly prayer that the car would see me home safe one more night. I slid behind the wheel, resting my forehead on the steering wheel, whispering my entreaties to whatever gods were listening. The car sputtered, shook a little and, blessedly, started without issue. I murmured my thanks, for prayers answered, flicking on my headlights for the drive home. I started to pull out of the parking lot when my headlights swept over the edge of the lot, illuminating the figures crouched on the edge of the lot. The Rattray's, with what looked very much like my first vampire customer stretched out on the ground between them. Mack was perched on the vampires lower legs, while Denise fussed with something on his arm. What in the world were they doing? I took a deep breath, and did something I almost never do. I dropped my shields completely, purposefully. I let their brains wash over mine.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed aloud, before clapping my hand over my mouth in horror. "They're trying to steal his blood!"

I acted without thinking, for sure. I never took even a second to think about whether I wanted to help this strange vampire. I did what I would have done for anyone in trouble. I reacted with all the Southern grace and manners my Gran had instilled in me before she had passed, just three months ago. I frantically drove the heel of my hand into my not so trusty horn, and slipped the car into drive. I made sure they saw me, catching them in the wide, bright sweep of the headlights. I nailed it on the horn again, hoping they'd get the hint, but they just stared, making no move to leave. I slammed my foot into the gas pedal, making my rickety car jump, before spurting into high gear. I drove straight at them, not wondering what would happen if they didn't move. I zeroed in as much as I could on their thoughts, willing them to get out of the damned way. Just at the last minute, they finally found some of the sense God gave them, and took to the woods just beyond the parking lot. I could hear the raging, snarling thoughts of the couple ricocheting around my head, before I remembered to pull myself together and repair my shields.

"Are you alright?" I called to the vampire, still flat on his back in the dirt. I thought it was strange he wasn't moving, and had a brief moment where I thought my first vampire customer was dead. Until I saw his legs start to move, slightly, and my ears registered the groan coming from his lips. I sat still in my seat for a moment more, struggling to decide whether to get out of the safety of the car to check on the vampire I wasn't so sure I liked, or to go to him and check his condition. It wasn't long before Gran's influence rose to the forefront again, and I found myself exiting the relative safety of my car, kneeling in the dirt beside the injured vamp.

"What can I do?'

The vampire looked up at me, his face registering no surprise to see me. "The silver," he muttered. "You must remove the silver."

I looked closer at the vampire, seeing the chains wrapped across his bare throat, wrists and waist. Everywhere they touched his skin, wisps of smoke curled from the chains. I made quick work, gingerly lifting the chains from his body. The instant he was free, he sat straight up, ripping out the IV tube Denise had inserted into his forearm. Blood dripped slowly from the wound for a moment, before the small hole healed completely, along with the silver burns.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed again. "Does that always happen?"

"Yes, Sookie, vampires always heal this quickly. Although sometimes we need fresh blood to regain our strength." His direct gaze caught me, and once again, I felt the oddest sensation in my head. It felt like something trying to jam into my brain. His words...wait. What? Fresh blood? I knew I didn't like the implication behind those words, and scrabbling backwards, I rose to my feet. His eyes followed me, making my pulse jump a little. For the first time, I realized what a dangerous position I was in, alone in a deserted parking lot with a vampire. An injured vampire. One who needed fresh blood.

"Will you heal without blood?" I asked, not wanting to know what I would do if he said no. I was NOT going to be a vampire snack. That much I was sure of.

"Yes, I will heal, but they have taken lot of blood." He looked at me, expectantly, I thought.

"Well, if you are going to be alright, then..." I trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say, but knowing I wanted to be far way from here. "I really do need to be getting home." I backed up, slowly, in the direction of my car.

"Wait." The command from the vampire slowed me in my tracks. "I would like to thank you for your help. It's the least I can do." The vampire was struggling to regain his feet, still clearly weakened by the attack.

"No thanks are necessary. I was only doing what anyone would, Mr...I'm sorry, but I don't know your name." I was feeling less sure of this situation every moment.

"Compton. My name is Bill Compton. And you are Sookie?"

Compton? His name was Compton? "Stackhouse. Sookie Stackhouse," I replied, my brain on automatic pilot. "Your name is Compton?" I still couldn't believe what I heard.

"Why, Sookie Stackhouse. Who knew." The vampire looked at me, his expression inscrutable. "Yes, my name is Compton, Sookie. And I believe we are neighbors. I've just moved into the old Compton estate. It's right across the graveyard from you, correct?"

"I'm glad you're OK, Mr. Compton." I was nearly dizzy from the strain of trying to keep my Crazy Sookie smile plastered into place. I felt the car against the back of my knees, and relief flooded into me. Nearly there. "As I said, I really have to be getting home now." I made a leap into my car, thanking all that is holy that the darned piece of crap was still running. I slammed the door shut behind me. Nearly there. I put the car in reverse, and only let out the breath I was holding when I saw his figure shrinking in the headlights. I swung the car around and headed out of Merlotte's parking lot. A final glance in the mirror proved he was still standing where I had left him.

_I could kill Compton for what he has done to you._

The words shot through my head unbidden. The words I heard my vampire say in her dreams, over and over again.

_I could kill Compton for what he has done to you._

I was so focused on thoughts of my dream vampire, and his words, that I barely noticed when I reached home, automatically parking the car. I was halfway to the porch when the first blow landed, all the more viciously for the unexpected nature. I fell to my knees with a shriek, pain bouncing and echoing through my skull. I definitely wasn't prepared for the second blow, the one that landed me face first in the gravel of my driveway. I felt the first kick, felt the ribs on my right side shattering beneath the force of the steel toed boot. My body screamed under the weight of the pain it endured, my mouth letting the screams escape freely until that steel toe found the soft spot right under my chin, and connected with brute force. I felt my jaw disconnect from my face, and the last conscious thought I had was of my vampire dream lover. What did Compton do to make him so mad? Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my mind that did not acknowledge the terrible pain I was in, I found it amusing that I could think of my dream lover at a time like this. But for Crazy Sookie Stackhouse, who else was there to think about?

The attack seemed to go on for hours, at least to my poor, befuddled brain. I lost count of the number of blows I received very quickly, and felt myself slipping into a semi-conscious state, my mind at peace, my imagination leading me right back to my vampire dream lover. I always felt safe there, only ever felt loved there. I could hear, in some very dim recess of my brain, maniacal laughter spinning around me. I could smell my own blood, dripping from me, slowly in places, alarmingly fast from others. I was battered, broken and barely alive. Somewhere inside me, I registered that the attack was over, somewhere inside me, I registered the sound of the car leaving. I knew nothing. I felt nothing. And soon, I knew, I would be nothing.

I was sure I'd just up and died and gone to Heaven when my eyes opened again. I was wrapped in the arms of my dream vampire, my body cradled tight to his. His strong, muscular arms held me tight, my broken body welcoming his strength. His head was thrown back, his powerful throat exposed to me. I could hear the bellowing roar coming from him, could feel it rumbling deep in his chest. Red, bloody, tears streaked the sharp planes of his face, sliding over corded muscles in his neck, dripping onto me, mingling with my blood. His wrist was placed against my lips, and I slowly realized I was drinking from my vampire, consuming his essence as I had so often in my dreams. After a couple more greedy pulls on his wrist, I let my lips slacken, and instantly my vampire was staring down at me, his tear-stained face so heart-breakingly handsome. His bright, blue eyes gazed steadily at me, their light bringing light to my battered soul. I could feel myself slipping away, feel my consciousness fading fast. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but my jaw failed me. My dream lover leaned his magnificent head to my face, his vampire hearing the only reason he ever heard the words I spoke.

"Viking! You found me just in time."

* * *

><p><strong><em>So, what do you think? I'd really like to know!<em>**


	2. Eric's Life Changes

**A big thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. I appreciate all the favorite alerts and reviews in ways I can't explain. This is my first go at fan fiction, and I'm loving it! If I knew how to respond to reviews, I would, but I just haven't figured it out. You know who you are and I send all my love and thanks to you all.**

**This chapter is from Eric's POV. We'll get back to Sookie in the next one.  
><strong>

**This story is inspired by True Blood, which was my first love. But, True Blood is inspired by the Southern Vampire Mysteries, which is rapidly becoming my next love. I own nothing of this story, all rights belong to Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. I just like to play with Eric. A lot. And, in my world, Eric looks just like Alexander Skarsgard, otherwise known as the sexiest man on television.**

"We're a little touchy tonight, aren't we?"

I growled a little, my attention not wavering from the documents on my desk. My child was showing her concern for me, but I wasn't about to talk about it right now. Or maybe ever.

"Fine, Master! Have it your way!" Pam huffed before settling herself on the couch in my office. "Perhaps you will be more interested in the gossip I acquired from the Queen's new pet?"

I sighed heavily, expelling a long, unnecessary breath from my lungs. After hundreds of years, I knew my child well enough to know she wouldn't give up easily. I also knew she wouldn't waste my time on idle gossip - Pam shared my distaste of the idle gossip that ran rampant through the vampire grapevine. I had sent her to New Orleans to deliver the quarterly reports to Sophie-Ann, and any time spent within the Queen's quarters always resulted in tidbits of gossip relating to unusual vampire activity. If Pam felt it was important, it likely was. I shoved my chair back from my desk a little, enough to allow my booted feet to swing to the top of my desk.

"What's the latest, Pam?"

"It appears as if Bill Compton has moved into Area 5, Master."

"Compton? What the hell is he doing in my area? He hasn't checked in yet!" All vampires who wished to reside in my area must file the appropriate forms with my office, and await permission before taking up permanent residence.

"The Queen's newest pet let it slip that Compton is settled into Bon Temps. It is apparently his ancestral home."

"I don't give a flying fuck about Compton's ancestors, Pam! I want to know what that bastard is doing here. Backwater Louisiana seems very out of character for him." My dealings with Compton in the past had always left me cold. Something about the juvenile vampire always bothered me. His simpering behavior around the Queen and her courtiers left me suspicious of any sudden move to the country. "Has the Queen banished him?"

"According to Hadley - the Queen's latest - Compton has settled into Bon Temps on her orders. Eric, before we were interrupted by Andre, this Hadley informed me the Queen had sent him to spy on a human, her cousin, in fact."

"What interest does Sophie-Ann have in a human? And why the fuck hasn't she told me what's going on?" As Sheriff of Area 5, protocol dictated that Sophie-Ann should have informed me of her interest in a human in my area, not send scum like Compton in without notice or approval from me.

"This is where it gets interesting, Eric. Hadley tells me her cousin is special. Very special." Pam's gaze never faltered from my face, her expression never changing, yet I could feel the excitement rolling off her.

"Special? How so?" I sat a little straighter, my blue eyes locked on Pam.

"According to Hadley, Eric, the human knows things. Things she shouldn't know." Pam's gaze never wandered from mine. "Human things, Eric. Not vampire."

My boots hit the floor with a resounding thud. Without conscious decision, my body had uncoiled itself from my leather chair, and I was half rising before I could control myself. I sank back to my chair, rearranging my features quickly, adopting a bored expression similar to the one Pam wore. To the human eye, my movements wouldn't have been noticeable, but Pam's watchful eyes caught everything.

"I have no interest in human affairs, Pam. Why would I?" My tone held warning, but my child had always been too headstrong for her own good.

"Oh, please, Eric!" Pam rolled her eyes. "I know you have been dreaming again. I can feel your distress every evening when I rise."

"Pam. Enough. I will not speak of this with you." My tone was clear, but my child was stubborn.

"Eric, really. You have spent most of your long life looking for..."

"Enough!" I rose with a roar, slamming my hand on my desk with enough force to leave a crack in the antique wood. I cared for Pam more than anyone else in my life, but on this subject, I would not waver.

"Very well, then. I just thought you should know. After all, Bon Temps isn't too far from here..." Pam's voice trailed off uncharacteristically. She stood, gesturing to the door. "If there's nothing else, Master?"

"You're excused. I will join you shortly."

I waited until Pam's steps could no longer be heard before venting my wrath on the leather couch in my office, viciously kicking it with my booted foot. Damn it all! Life was good, these days, better than it had been in a long time. I was Sheriff of Area 5, one of the most profitable areas in the entire country. My reputation was carefully nurtured, resulting in subjects who were generally too afraid of me, or my 1000 year old Viking persona, to cause trouble. Fangtasia was flourishing, the profits higher than could ever have been expected. Life had become easier for vampires since the Great Revelation, and Fangtasia offered all we thought it would. Fangbangers lined up nightly, begging to be bitten, fucked, used. It was a far cry from the life we'd lived not long ago, let alone the life I'd lived for the last thousand years. If it weren't for the dreams, I would scream from the rooftops the truth of my perfect life.

The dreams, though. I sat heavily in my chair once again, suddenly feeling more like an old man than ever before. The damned dreams were starting to cripple me. Pam was right, of course, I just didn't realize she felt my despair so clearly. We were bonded, of course, as maker and child are, but I had myself convinced I was hiding my feelings from her. I should have known my darling child felt me better than she let on. That was Pam's style, after all. It always had been. Pam had likely felt my despair for some time. The dreams had started again some twenty five years ago, sporadic at first, but the last year or more had been almost unbearable.

Vampires were not supposed to dream. Vampires did not dream. But I did. I'd dreamed my entire existence, ever since I'd been turned. The dreams varied all the time, with the one constant staying the same, never changing. Her. She starred in every movie my tortured brain produced. In the beginning I thought it was just my human brain refusing to let go of the last vestiges of humanity I possessed, clinging to the memory of her. She had been the last thought in my head as my maker took my life, changing me forever. But the dreams changed over the years, showing her to me in ways I couldn't have understood then. And then she reappeared in my life, over and over, challenging me every time she did so. And every time she appeared, I failed her. Every single time.

Fuck! I won't do this again. I can't do this again.

I got up from my desk, unsure if I'd been there five minutes, or five hours. I strode through the bar with purpose, heading for the ridiculously elaborate throne Pam had installed on the raised dias in the back of the bar. I ignored everything and everybody in the room, settling into my throne with a snarl. Fangtasia was busy tonight, and all vampire heads, and most human ones, too, turned to gaze at me as I settled. Let them look. I just hoped there was no one stupid enough to approach me. I slouched further into my seat, my long, jeans clad legs stretched in front of me, booted feet crossed at the ankles. It was my turn to enthrall the vermin, as Pam so charmingly called it. It would be a long night.

_Viking! You're too late, Viking!_

I snapped out of my downtime in a hurry, my blue eyes scanning frantically through the crowd. Was she here?

"Viking? Are you hungry?" I looked down at the skinny fangbanger who clung to my feet. "I can make you feel real good, Viking."

I rose to my full height, shaking the skanky bitch from me as I did so. I barely resisted kicking her, instead choosing to step over her without comment, moving quickly through the crowd. I was shrugging my leather jacket over my shoulders when Pam walked in.

"Everything OK, Eric?"

"Fine, Pam. I'm leaving for the evening." I ignored her surprised expression.

"Of course. I will close everything down later. Are you heading home?" Pam had gathered herself, and her expression was once again one of boredom. I knew better, of course, but was in no mood to play her games.

"No." I brushed past her, purposefully not giving her further information. I wasn't going home, but I didn't really know where I was going, either. I just had to get away from here before my mind exploded. "I will see you tomorrow."

I slipped behind the wheel of my red Corvette, burning rubber from my tires as I sped away from Fangtasia. I drove aimlessly for a while before heading for the highway. I needed speed, and the streets of Shreveport just couldn't provide what I needed tonight. I tore down the highway, pushing the car harder than I ever had before, concentrating hard on the road, letting my thoughts slip away. I'd been on the highway for about a half an hour when I saw it. The sign that changed the course of my life.

Welcome to the Town of Bon Temps.

I couldn't tell you what possessed me, other than it must have been, had to have been the devil. After all that, to end up on the doorstep of Bill Compton? I told myself to turn around, to go home, to go back to Fangtasia. Anywhere but Bon Temps. But I slammed the brakes on, and took the turn hard. I slowed the car, opening the windows to let the heavily scented, humid Louisiana air through the car. I didn't know where Compton lived, but there couldn't be more than one vampire living in such a town. I'd smell the bastard out.

I drove slowly through town, passing a bar on the outer edges. Merlotte's. My sensitive nose quivered a little with the smells emanating from the establishment. Heavy smell of shifter, with a side of vampire. And something else, something sweeter, less recognizable than the others, but there, all the same. It smelled faintly of fairy. Interesting. If I'd been in a better mood, I might have stopped to investigate further, but the fading vampire scent had my full attention. I wasn't above taking my foul mood out on Bill Compton, and I was determined to track him tonight. Why else come to Bon Temps?

I continued driving, following the vampire scent to a dilapidated antebellum plantation. This was clearly the vampire's home, it reeked of him. The smell of fairy hung heavier in the air here, as well, mixed with the sweet smell of female blood. Did Compton have a fairy? I shook my head, dismissing the possibility. No way he caught a fairy. Every fairy I'd ever met would have eaten Bill Compton for breakfast, not the other way around. I left the confines of the car, taking to the air, breathing deeply of the fairy scented air. Not pure fairy, surely, as I wasn't losing my mind, but definite fairy. And bloody fairy, at that.

I flew over the cemetery next to Compton's ramshackle house, drawn to the scent of blood in the air, deliciously fairy scented blood. What was it? My flight took me closer and closer to the nearest house, a neat and tidy old farmhouse a quarter mile away. I scanned the area, using my superior vampire sight to identify the female body lying crumpled on the ground. I could have been completely blind, though, and still found her by scent. I'd never known such a heady scent in all my long existence. I lowered myself to the ground once again, close to the source. I could hear the steady heartbeat that told me of life within, but the smell and sight of the blood that covered her were another matter. She looked dead.

_Viking! You're too late, Viking!_

God damn it! I swore to myself silently before roaring my curses to the gods. I found myself drawing closer and closer to her, dropping to my knees in front of her, drawn to her in unexplainable ways. I knew I couldn't have walked away for anything at that moment. I would have let the sun rise and burn me into death before I would move. Gently, more tenderly than I would have thought possible, I turned her broken body in my arms, brushing back the familiar blonde hair, hair so very much like my own. Her face was a mess, battered, swollen, bloody. Her jaw hung at an unnatural angle, and one eye disappeared into the swelling coming from her high cheekbone. I bit into my wrist without thinking, bloody tears running unchecked down my cheeks. I held my wrist to her mouth, willing her to drink. It wasn't too late. I know it wasn't too late, but she didn't drink, didn't respond. I held my wrist tighter to her mouth, throwing my head back at the same time, roaring my frustration and anger to the gods. It seemed like hours passed, but it must have been just moments before I felt the unfamiliar pulling on my wrist, before I felt my essence being pulled from my body into hers. I looked down, my mind focusing on the movement of her lips. I leaned closer, my ear nearly brushing her lips. I was desperate, desperate like I'd never been before. I needed to hear her words, but so terribly afraid I knew what she would say. My heart, my cold, dead heart threatened to break apart inside my chest.

"Viking! You found me just in time!"

TBC

**What do you think? Have I gone mad, or will this work?**


	3. Bonding, Step 1

**A huge thanks to all who are reading this story, and an even bigger thanks to all who've taken the time and interest to review or favorite this story. You've made me feel so welcome here!**

**This is a completely AU timeline for Eric & Sookie. I love the characters created by Charlaine Harris, who owns everything especially the divine Eric, but from the start, I always imagined an alternate existence for Eric and Sookie's love. Bear with me, it will become clearer in a couple of chapters!**

**This story is meant for adults over the age of 18. I know it seems tame right now, but it is rated M for a reason. A lemony good reason, which will also become more apparent in a couple of chapters.**

**As always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated.**

* * *

><p><em>"Lover. Look at me, lover."<em>

_My vampire called to me as he always did, softly, reverently. I look up to meet his eyes, confusion lighting inside me as I gaze upon him, noting the bloody tear tracks that mar his exquisite face._

_"Invite me in, lover. You must invite me in." My vampire was heartbroken, so different from the passionate lover of my dreams._

_"Don't cry, my love. You can come in, please don't cry." I reached for his face, but my arm felt like cement. My body was cradled in his strong arms, pressed tight to his chest. Why did he cry so?_

_My dream shifted, changed, to find me in my own bed, my vampire tenderly removing my clothes, his hands skimming over my body, searching for something I couldn't understand. His cool, silky tongue laved my body, worshiping each curve and valley he encountered. His fingers moved gently across my ribs, probing, searching. His face was buried against mine now, that magical tongue lapping at my ears, my eyes, my jaw and throat. His whispered endearments washed over me, filling my soul with love. The air around us crackled with electricity, filling the room with a rainbow of color. I felt myself yielding, melting into him. We are one._

_My dream warped and changed again, sending me into a warm spray of water. My vampire held me under the spray, his long, cool fingers massaging me, washing away the tension and pain I carried. Pain? Why would I hurt? I whimpered into his shoulder, struggling to raise myself in his arms._

_"Hush, lover. Let me care for you. I'll make it all better, lover, I promise you." My vampire's words reached the troubled part of my soul, easing the torment in my mind. I sank back into him, letting the dream take me where it would. I knew my vampire would make it better. He always did._

I awoke with a bit of a start that day, memories of the night before flooding into me. Tears rose in my eyes as my dreams faded and memories of the night before flooded into my brain. I cried out, scrambling in my bed until my back was pressed deep into the headboard. My hand covered my mouth, trapping my screams there. Those first moments were horrible, terrifying as my brain came to grips with the terror of the night. When my heart settled, I started to realize how foolish I must look, realization sinking in to me. It was just a dream. I was fine.

Wow! That was a dream! I swung my feet over the side of the bed, the adrenaline in my system propelling me from the bed. That was the strangest dream I had ever had. My vampire dreams were almost always filled with love and tenderness, not nightmarish agony. My vampire had saved me last night, and the love was there, but the pain. I had never, ever felt such pain in my life, and it was just a dream. I shook off the uncomfortable memories of the nightmare, giving my poor heart a moment to settle.

I was halfway to the bathroom before the second realization hit me. I was stark naked! What on earth had happened to me last night? Gran would have given me a telling off for that one, for sure! A lady doesn't sleep without clothes. It had been drummed in to me since I was a child. I glanced around the room for my nightclothes - maybe I had stripped off during the night. Nope. No clothes. I shrugged before heading to the bathroom. I must have been exhausted last night, and fallen in to bed without remembering. I had obviously showered before bed, I could smell my strawberry body wash, not the lingering smell of Merlotte's, but I don't remember that, either. Jeez, I didn't think I was that tired! I don't even remember making it home, let alone going to bed. I've got to talk to Sam soon about hiring a new waitress - all these long nights were doing me in. I need the money, but I can't afford to crash my car into a tree cause I'm too tired to drive home, for goodness sakes!

The third shock of the day occurred in the bathroom as I was brushing my teeth. I glanced into the mirror above the sink, and promptly dropped the toothbrush right out of my mouth! What in the world? Sure, it was me staring out of the mirror, but what alternate universe had I woken up in? I looked just like myself, but yet, so very much better. My skin was glowing, my tan nearly luminous. My eyes were so incredibly clear I nearly lost myself staring into them. And my hair? What on earth? I always had thick, shiny hair. Gran had always called it my crowning glory. But today it looked even fuller, and even in the dim light of the bathroom, I could see how much shinier it was, how the waves had turned into loose curls. What the heck?

I left the toothbrush right where it was, and stumbled my way back to bed. What was going on? I closed my eyes, letting my mind sink back into my dream. What was different? My vampire had not made love to me in my dream. That was surely different. I hadn't dreamt of a platonic vampire since I was a teenager. Although there really wasn't too much platonic about last night's dream, really, it was just different from the way he usually loved me in my dreams. Every dream for the last years had been highly erotic, to say the least. I might not have experience in real life with men, how could I, after all? Normal men thought I was crazy, and I knew there was nothing much normal them, anyways. How could I ever give myself to someone when I could hear every perverted thing they wanted to do to me? But my dream vampire lover showed me all I needed to know about love. If I couldn't have a real love life, I was surely glad my vampire visited my dreams every night. I don't know how I would survive without him now.

I let my mind drift, letting the dream flood back to me. That was the best part of all my vampire dreams - I never, ever forget a moment of them. And I know I had never seen a crying vampire before. He was always so strong, so in charge, but last night he cried. This dream was so different, in so many ways. No sex, but overwhelming love. So much pain, but even more love. I had felt wrapped in love, multifaceted, shimmering love. Shimmering! Yes, we had almost shimmered in the dream last night. That surely was new. Especially the way the room pulsed with a kaleidoscope of color as my vampire licked my body, cleaning my own blood from my skin.

OK, Sookie! Stop daydreaming. Obviously I had gotten a good, solid night's sleep last night. I slept soundly all night, and that's why I look so good today. See? It's already 2:30, I must have slept a good fourteen hours last night. Weird, even for me. I'm not exactly a morning person, no matter how much I love the sun. Working nights meant I usually slept late, but 2:30 was pushing it even for me. If I didn't get my rear end up and off this bed, the day would be over. I jumped up, putting the dream behind me, and shimmied into my old blue bikini. It might be mid afternoon, but it was never too late to soak up a few rays.

I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in the sun, lazily flipping myself over from time to time. I'd brought a trashy romance novel out with me, but I just couldn't focus on the words. I had my own romance novel running through my head that was just too darned distracting. An erratic slideshow ran though my mind as I drifted in and out of napping, playing a highlight reel from my dreams. My beautiful blonde vampire kissing me, his tongue probing the corners of my lips. Me, cradled in arms of steel, spinning wildly around a dance floor, my vampire looking down with a contented smile as the music washed over us. Him, holding me down on my bed, his gorgeous eyes crinkled with laughter as he tickled me mercilessly. Us, tangled, sweaty, panting with need as we showed each other the depths of our love. Me, boldly leaning over him, my tongue tracing a delicate line down his chiseled abs. Him, growling, begging me not to stop. Us, crying out in our completion, desperately murmuring words of love. Me, telling him how his love filled me. Him, telling me he'd meet the sun before he'd let anyone take me away. Us, swept away by passion, drinking deeply from each other.

I must have drifted off into sleep again as I let my memories consume me. I snapped out of it as my fingers drifted under the waistband of my bikini, my fingers headed for the spot he loved, stroking and caressing myself as I remembered him doing so many times. I sighed heavily, wishing for the millionth time that he was real, that his fingers caressed me instead of my own. Daylight had faded, the gloriously rich sunset washed me in light as my fingers moved faster. My breath came in spurts and gasps as I worked my fingers over my heated flesh, alternating swirling and dipping. His voice rang in my mind, pushing me, pulling me towards another vampire induced orgasm._ Come for me, Sookie. Come for me, lover._

I flopped back to my blanket, glorying in the blissful release for a few moments. The cool evening air drifted over me, cooling my over heated flesh. I sat up reluctantly, pulling the blanket with me as I headed for the house. My stomach growled a little, reminding me I hadn't yet eaten. Dinner and a shower, then. Maybe a movie after, I thought. Lafayette was off tonight, too, maybe I'd give him a call and see if he wanted to join me. I should call Tara, too. It's been a while since we all got together.

I grabbed a old T-shirt from my room to haul over my bikini before washing my hands in the bathroom sink. I studiously avoided the mirror over the sink, not really willing to look upon the high definition Sookie I'd seen there earlier. I hummed a little to myself as I skipped through the house to the kitchen. My orgasm had left me feeling happy, content and starved! I was just looking into the fridge when the doorbell rang, giving me a start. Who could that be? I wasn't expecting anyone.

As I made my way to the front door, I cast my mind towards the step as I often did, checking to see who was there before I opened it. What I found there made me stop, my breath catching in my throat. There was no mind there, nothing but a void. Just like the one I had read at Merlotte's last night. Oh, shit, Sookie! Oh, no! I took a deep breath to calm myself, counting to ten before releasing my breath in a huff. I hadn't spared him a thought today, hadn't even thought about the fact that there was now a vampire living in Jesse Compton's old place. He had given me the creeps last night, and I surely wasn't in the mood to entertain a strange vampire this evening. I arranged a cold expression on my face, hoping he'd get the hint. No way was I going to encourage visits from him.

I threw open the door with more force than perhaps necessary, and steeled myself for what was to come. To my great surprise, though, it was not the vampire Bill Compton who stood on my porch. No, not at all. The vampire standing on my porch was huge, towering over me, his blond hair shining in the porch light. My hand flew to my mouth as my eyes drank him in, from his booted feet, up the never ending length of muscular leg clad in dark washed jeans, to the thick leather belt encircling his trim waist. My wide eyes took in the tight abdomen that flared into a strong, well muscled torso that strained at the tight black T-shirt he wore. My brain acknowledged the black leather jacket he wore like a glove, stretching over the impossibly wide breadth of his shoulders. I drank in the thick column of his throat, the strong jaw that topped it, just barely dusted with a faint golden stubble. His lips, oh, Lord, his lips. My eyes continued their slow journey until finally I was looking into the deepest, bluest eyes I had ever seen outside of my dreams.

I did the only thing that felt right at that moment, the only thing my tortured brain could come up with.

I screamed.

And then I fainted dead away to lie in a crumpled heap on the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued!<strong>

**Next chapter will be from Eric's POV. What do you think so far?**


	4. You're not supposed to be real!

Well, damn. I took a long, surprised look at the girl heaped at my feet before sweeping her up into my arms. That had been unexpected.

I cradled her to my chest, taking in the scent of her, breathing deeply of her uniqueness. I briefly debated placing her on her bed once again, but after her reaction to my appearance at her door, I'm not so sure she would appreciate the intimacy implied. I carried her through the living room instead, placing her carefully upon the old couch. She didn't stir in my arms, not once. I settled at her feet, watching and waiting for her to regain consciousness.

I don't even know what the hell I am doing here, really. The girl is fine, I was sure of that before I left her in the early morning hours. My blood coursed through her system, seeking and repairing even the most minute damages. She was healed. She would live.

_Viking! You're too late, Viking!_

Damn it all to hell! I don't know what game the gods played with me, but this time, I had won. This time, I was in time. Just in time, but in time all the same. This time, the girl lived.

My undead heart clenched a little when I thought of how close she came to death. How close I came to failure once again. I reached out to touch her smooth skin, my hand running down a shapely calf before looping around her ankle, my thumb absently tracing circles on the inside of her ankle. It was very soothing.

I returned to Fangtasia when I left her in the early morning hours, which was my biggest mistake of the night. I had thought Pam might be gone by the time I arrived, but my child was still on the premises. Her normally impassive facade cracked when she took in my bloodied and wearied condition.

"Eric! What has happened?" Pam, diminutive and beautiful, looked ferocious as she assumed a fighting stance, her eyes taking in my condition.

"I'm fine, Pam. Relax, it's not my blood." I hauled my shirt off over my head, the irresistible aroma of her blood engulfing me again. I resisted the urge to bury my face in the bloody shirt, even though my instincts were screaming at me to do so. I wouldn't give Pam the satisfaction.

"What is going on, Eric? First, you storm out of here like you have a flame to your ass. Our bond has been jumping like crazy all evening. I have never felt such emotions from you, Eric. Ever. Despair, joy, hope. Rage, anger, fear. What the hell happened? If that's not your blood, then whose is it?" Pam stood directly in front of me now, staring into my eyes like she would be able to find the answers she needed there.

I hadn't thought of what Pam must have been getting from me all evening. Our maker/child bond was very strong, and Pam was well used to feeling me within her. But she was not used to feeling much in the way of emotion from me. I rarely let my emotions so close to the surface, and never without blunting the connection between my child and I. Tonight I had let my famous control slip. My sole focus had been on the girl. Sookie.

"All is well, child. I went for a drive and ended up in Bon Temps."

"Bon Temps? Did you go see Compton? That's not his blood, Eric." Pam's eyes narrowed a little as she sized me up. Now that she was assured of my physical well being, her sharp mind was searching for answers. Answers I'm not so sure I want to give her.

"No, it's not his blood. I never saw him. But I did find his home." I turned my back to her, rifling though my closet for a fresh shirt. I took my time, far longer than was necessary, trying to avoid Pam's inquisitive eyes. My child knew me too well. "The blood belongs to his neighbor. She was injured." That much was certainly the truth.

"A neighbor, you say? Interesting. Very interesting." Pam surveyed me with renewed interest.

"Cut it out, Pam." I growled a little, shooting my child a quelling glance.

"Cut what out, Eric? What exactly would you like me to cut out?" Pam glared at me, hands on her hips, one foot tapping a staccato rhythm on my office floor. "I think it's time for you to cut it out, Eric, and catch me up on whatever the hell is happening here."

"Enough, Pamela!" I yanked the fresh T-shirt over my head. "There is nothing happening here, nothing to catch you up on. I was near Compton's house and his neighbor was injured and in need of attention. I offered my assistance, took her home and now I am here."

That was the short version of events, anyway. I am reluctant to share any more with my child. It's not that I don't trust Pam, but at this moment I don't know if I trust myself with the events of the night. Pam would have the proverbial cow if she knew what I had done earlier. Every vampire who had ever known me would have raised an eyebrow at my actions tonight. Sharing blood with humans was rarely done. Vampires guard their blood jealously, rarely offering any for any reason separate from making a child, or to tie a useful human to their side. It was more than uncommon to do what I had done tonight.

I hadn't even known her name when I'd poured my life's essence into her. My instincts have kept me alive for over a thousand years now, and my actions this evening were perhaps the most instinctual reaction I have ever had. I hadn't even taken the time to think things over for even a moment. I never stopped to question whether my actions were warranted. I just did it. And I would do it again.

"The great Eric Northman, rescuer of injured girls everywhere," Pam rudely muttered, just loud enough for me to hear. "You rescued an injured human, assisted her home and now you are here. Got it, Master. I don't know why I never guessed that's what you were doing. Was she scary, Master?"

"Scary? Hardly, Pam." I raised an eyebrow in her direction, wondering what game she played now.

"Well, I did feel such fear rolling through you earlier..." Pam's golden eyebrow was raised nearly to her hairline, a familiar glint in her eye. "If it wasn't the human who scared you, then perhaps you encountered a ferocious dog, or perhaps this human had a cat with pointy claws?"

"Pam! God damn it! How did I end up with such a brat for a child?" I glowered at her, my face set in stone. This was a look my child was familiar with, one that told her to back down, in no uncertain terms. "I don't want to talk about it. Understand, or must I command you to mind your manners?" As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized my mistake. I rarely used the maker/child bond to command Pam anymore, haven't for a century or more unless it related to our safety. To threaten her with it now only showed my hand. I knew it was only a matter of time before I shared my night with her, but I would be damned if it would happen now.

"Oh, I understand, Eric. I completely understand." Pam had not changed her stance during our conversation, still bracing her hands on her hips, but her foot tapped away at an increased rate, moving too quickly for the human eye to discern. This was Pam's tell, with me, anyway. Whenever she worried for my health or sanity her foot would get quite a workout. "I will leave you for now. Should I expect to see you tomorrow night, or do you have any more road trips planned? Perhaps you need to check on the human, make sure she is well?"

I turned my back to her, kicking off my heavy boots and quickly stripped off my blood-stained jeans, replacing them with a fresh pair. Ignoring her completely, I sat on the couch and took my own sweet time to replace my boots. Standing to my full height, I rested my gaze on my loyal child for a moment before moving to stand in front of her.

"There's nothing to worry about, Pam." No, nothing at all. This time, I was just in time. "I will see you tomorrow." And with that, I was gone.

And now, here I am, checking on the injured human, just as Pam had predicted. I hadn't planned on it, really. My last thoughts before the dawn took me were of her and I had decided to leave her be, not to seek her out again. I saved her, and perhaps that would be enough to end the vicious cycle I was in. In the early morning hours I had decided it would be best for me to move on now. It would be for the best. I didn't need the complications humans always came with, and this human was nothing but a giant complication. I had saved her, that should be enough. I let the sun take me under with firm resolve in my unbeating heart.

So, how is it I now sit on her dilapidated couch, in her rundown house, waiting for the fragile being to awake? Because I felt her when I awoke, a side effect I hadn't even considered last night. Just as I never stopped to weigh my options before giving her my blood, I also failed to think through the implications of my actions. In my defense I could say that I was unused to providing blood to humans - I had never bonded with one before on any level. Pam was the last human to drink my blood and that was for the sole purpose of turning her. I was used to feeling Pam's presence in my mind, but to feel a new presence in my head when I rose tonight was a shocking dose of reality. I could feel her, quite strongly due to the amount of my blood flowing in her veins. It was unsettling. It was largely unwelcome. It was also strangely exhilarating to have such a light, positive force running through my veins.

Sookie Stackhouse. Or, at least, I assume that's her name. I'd taken a quick look through the house before I left last night and the mail I'd located was all addressed to one Sookie Stackhouse. The name was unusual. In my thousand years on this earth I had never known another Sookie. I'd known this woman before, I knew that much in my soul. Variations of this delightful creature sleeping before me had disrupted my life, human and vampire, many times over. Each time she had been different, but yet the same. Trouble. And here she is again.

I had almost let myself forget her. Almost. It has been centuries since the last time she entered my life with such disastrous results. As the years passed, I tried hard to tell myself it was over and done. That she was finally done. I turned Pam almost a century later. Another century passed before we made our way to the New World. Nearly two hundred and seventy five years passed in total before the dreams started. And those damned dreams have plagued my rest for the last twenty five years of my existence.

She was really quite beautiful, I thought to myself as I watched her sleep, my fingers still stroking the warm, delicate skin of her ankle. Her hair was almost exactly the color of my own, a rich golden blonde set of perfectly by an equally golden tan. Her face was beautiful, with gorgeous cheekbones and delicate brows, but it was her lips that drew my attention. Luscious, rose pink lips parted just slightly - I wanted to devour those lips. I wanted to feel them against my own. I dreamed of kissing those lips.

My attention drifted downward, taking in her body. Perfection. Even dressed in nothing more than a ratty old T-shirt, her body was a siren's call. I smirked a little to myself as I took her in. She was certainly more bodacious this time around. Fuck! Her breasts were magnificent, high, firm and round. More than a handful, I'd bet, and I have large hands. Her waist dipped in before flaring out in the most wonderful way into hips that could drive a vampire to drink. Her bare legs stretched out in front of me, drawing my eyes to their shapely length.

Her scent, though, her scent was stripping away layers of my self control. She was delicious. She smelled strongly of the sun, mixed with a heady dose of arousal. My smirk came back in full force as I scented her previous activities on her bikini bottoms, but more tellingly, on her fingers. She'd taken a large dose of my blood last night, it was certain she would dream of me now, too. Perhaps I might have figured into her afternoon delight. My smirk transformed into a full fledged grin as I thought of the possibilities.

I frowned suddenly, something about her scent was throwing me off. Fuck me! Last night, when I first scented her, the air had been thick with fairy. The air was saturated in the scent. But this girl, regardless of how delectable she smelled, didn't really smell like the Fae. Last night I tended to her wounds carefully, licking up her spilled blood with my tongue as I did so. Her taste was exquisite, sunshine and honey, the most delicious elixir I can remember tasting. It took all of my willpower not to sink my fangs into her and drink my fill. But she didn't taste like the Fae. If she'd been full Fae, self control wouldn't have helped me. I might have drained her.

The Fae connection was too hard to ignore. There had to have been a fairy, a full fairy, very near Sookie last night, probably just before I arrived. The scent was still strong when I got there. Had a fairy done this to her? What interest could the Fae have in her? I stared hard at her still sleeping figure. I might have broken the circle this time by saving her first, but the woman was already disrupting my life. I swore to myself as I contemplated her. A bizarrely insistent voice in my head was telling me to protect this human with all that I am, while the cold, pragmatic vampire I am knew I might be better of draining her right now.

My dark musings came to a quick end when I started to feel the slight bond between us thrum to life, sputtering and starting as she came back to consciousness. I couldn't help but smile a little as her purity and light stirred through me. She shifted on the couch, her arms stretching above her head as she woke. Her movements pulled her T-shirt up a little, exposing a inch of tanned belly above her bikini bottoms. I struggled to keep my eyes trained on her face, waiting for her blue eyes to open. I didn't have to wait long. They fluttered open moments later and settled on my face. A small smile played with the corners of her lips. Her blue eyes captured mine, pulling me into their depths. Her luscious lips parted slightly to allow a little pink tongue to flicker briefly across them. I couldn't help my body's reaction. I hardened instantly. Her expression was soft and dreamy as she lay there smiling at me with an undeniable invitation in her gaze.

"Hello, my vampire." Her voice was so sweet, so shy. And so seductive.

"Hello, beautiful." Her greeting shocked me. My vampire? Was this little thing trying to claim me? I almost snorted my amusement at that, but her next words left me reeling.

"Make love to me, my vampire. I've missed you so much." She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked at me, her eyes still dreamy. A small hand reached for me slowly, languorously. A thousand years of training was necessary for me to keep my expression unchanged, especially considering the firestorm she was creating in my body. I was so hard now I could burst. Make love? I could devour her.

"You've missed me?" I asked in what I thought was a strong, firm tone, but to my ears, it came out a little huskier and strained than I had hoped. Almost of it's own volition, my hand reached to take the hand she was offering. The moment our hands touched, though, everything changed again as she shrieked a little before scrambling quickly into a more defensive position in the far corner of the couch she had been sprawled on.

"Oh, my God! You are real! You're not supposed to be real!"

* * *

><p>Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I kind of got sucked into reading some really great stories on here, and kind of lost my confidence for a bit. But I am back, and have a fair portion of this story already written, so I will be updating frequently now.<p>

Thanks for sticking around, and please tell me what you think of it so far!


	5. I can feel you

Oh, help me Jesus. My vampire dream lover is sitting in front of me, in the goddamn flesh! He's real. He's really here. The beautiful vampire who makes love to me in my dreams is now real. And here. Sitting on my couch. Stroking my ankle. Wait! What? Oh, sweet Jesus. Help me. My heart is actually hurting, it's pounding so hard in my chest. His clear blue eyes held mine in a mesmerizing stare, freezing me in spot for what seemed like hours, but really must have been just seconds. I scrambled back in the most ungraceful way possible, hurling myself into the far corner of the couch. Yes, distance is what I need. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the fact that I must be looking an awful lot like a guppy fish, but I swear, I have no control over my facial expressions at this moment. None. I can't help the fact that I'm gaping at him like he's a sideshow attraction at the fair.

"Oh, my God! You are _real_! You're not supposed to be _real_!"

As soon as the words left my lips, I clamped a hand over my mouth. What the hell was I thinking. He's not supposed to be real? Way to go, Sookie. Why not just tell this strange man you've dreamed of him your whole life? Oh, wait - this vampire! What the hell was I thinking? He might look like my dream lover, but he is a real vampire, for cripes sake! I might have only met one vampire before in all my life, but both of them have the same glow, although my vampire's glow was richer, deeper than Bill Compton's. I stared at him silently, taking in the face I knew so well. He was still regarding me without speaking, but there was a definite smirk playing on those sculpted lips. What is he doing here? What does he want with me?

Oh, no. I closed my eyes in utter mortification as I remembered collapsing at his feet like an overcome teenager. I glanced about me, taking in the familiar surroundings. If I fell to his feet like a fool in the hallway, how did I get to the couch? Did my vampire - wait, scratch that - did this vampire carry me in here? I could feel the blush spreading across my cheeks and further down across my chest as I remembered my further humiliation. I still couldn't meet his eyes. Did I really ask him to make love to me? That I missed him? I let me head drop to my knees, releasing a groan as I did so.

Maybe I'm still sleeping. This has to be just a really, really vivid dream. He can't be here. He can't be real. This is just too strange to be real. These thoughts flew through my head, over and over again, like a mantra. Maybe if I just stay quiet, and keep my eyes closed for a while, he won't be there when I open them again. I let a frustrated scream ring through my brain. Think, Sookie. For all the times I might have wished for him to be real, there's just no way he could be. We're talking about a man, a vampire, that I conjured up in my head when I was just a kid. How could I have dreamed of a real vampire all this time? I was completely lost in my denial for countless minutes when I heard him gently clear his throat.

"I can assure you, beautiful, I am very real. And I'm so glad to hear that you missed me." There was some clear amusement in his tone now. "I won't hurt you, little one. Open your eyes. Look at me."

I scrunched my eyelids tighter at his words, squeezing them hard enough to see stars. I could feel his eyes on me. I could sense his presence on the end of the couch. I could feel his life flowing through me. What? Wait! Get a grip, Sookie! Feel his life flow through you? Even as I dismissed the thought as ridiculous, I felt a wave of amusement flood through me. If there was one thing I was certain of in that moment, it was the fact that I didn't find this amusing in the least. I jerked upright as my eyes flew open to meet his. Yep, he's amused alright. Why do I feel it inside me like that?

"Ah! There you are." He was sprawled in the corner of my Gran's old flowered couch, long legs stretched casually before him, ankles crossed. His huge, heavy black boots looked strangely at home on the faded old rug. His leather clad arm stretched along the back of the couch, coming to rest just a scant foot from my shaking body. His long, trim torso was angled towards me. "I won't hurt you." He repeated his assurance to me softy, his eyes not leaving mine.

"Who are you?" My voice sounded weird to my ears.

"My name is Eric. You needn't fear me." Eric. My vampire's name was Eric.

"Well, Eric, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sookie. What can I do for you?" When in doubt, always rely on manners. Gran would be so pleased right now. I slowly unfolded myself from my cramped position, sliding slowly to mimic his position on my end of the couch. Except I kept my arms, and hands, to themselves. The shock that raced through me when we touched earlier was enough for me, thank you very much. I had to continually remind myself this was not my vampire. My heart was still racing, and I was sure proximity to him was more to blame now than my shock. He was just as beautiful, if not more so, in person than he has always been in my dreams. Those eyes. God knows, I could lose myself in those eyes.

"Do you remember last night, Sookie? Do you remember me?" Oh, hell, no. Maybe I was still dreaming. Of course I remember him from last night. I dreamed of him like I always have. But last night was different, wasn't it? Last night's dream was full of pain and worry. Not my usual dreams. Did he know that? How could he? How the hell am I supposed to answer his question? Yes, Mr. Vampire Eric, I remember you from my dreams. Last night you held me and drove away the most horrendous pain I could ever imagine. And you did it all in my dreams. I stared back at him, aware my prolonged silences might be making me appear a little slow. I exhaled noisily through my mouth before answering him.

"Do we know one another, Eric? You'll have to forgive me, but I can't remember our being introduced before." I plastered my Crazy Sookie smile on my face as my mind raced over the events of last night. I remember meeting my first vampire, Bill Compton. I remember my shift at Merlotte's. I can remember cashing out, saying goodnight to Sam. I remember chasing the Rattray's away from the very creepy Bill Compton. I remember driving home. But there was no way I would have forgotten meeting this vampire. Never. Even if I had never met him in my dreams, no girl could ever forget meeting a man like this. No way. "I'm pretty sure I would have remembered you."

"I'm pretty sure you would remember me, too, lover." He grinned at that, a dazzling grin that lit up his eyes in the most beguiling manner. "But you were perhaps not at your best when we met last night. Think harder, Sookie. Do you remember what happened in your driveway last night?" His grin disappeared at that, a cold, hard expression settled in it's place. His eyes still have not left mine, boring into me with an unsettling intensity. It almost felt as if he were in my head. I felt nervous, anxious, curious. All of which I felt, sure, but these were not my emotions. It didn't feel like me, anyway. It felt foreign, almost, but that doesn't quite describe it, either. And why, oh why, did he keep calling me lover? My vampire calls me lover. And apparently, so does his live doppelganger.

"In my driveway? What are you talking about?" Even as I asked the question, I knew what he was going to tell me. My stomach lurched and bile started to rise in my throat.

"I found you last night, lover, in your driveway? Do you remember? Someone had hurt you. Hurt you badly." His face remained expressionless, cold even. But I could see an unexpected tenderness in his eyes, could hear it in his tone. "We didn't exactly have time for introductions, but it was me that cared for you and brought you inside."

I jumped to my feet, my nerve endings jangling. I wrapped my arms around myself tightly as I stood in front of him. Every ounce of blood in my body seemed to be draining southwards, leaving me reeling in front of my vampire. I sank to my knees slowly, resting on the floor right next to his booted feet. I could feel him shifting in his seat, leaning forward until his face was just inches from mine. His hand rose and traveled almost to my face before he dropped it hastily.

"Oh, my God. It really happened, didn't it?" I started shaking violently as the gravity of what he was telling me sank into my overloaded brain. "But - I don't understand - what happened? How could it have been real? I'm fine - look at me! I don't even have a bruise!" My voice might have started off shaky, but I was positively shrieking by now. "What do you mean you cared for me? What did you do to me?"

"Shh, it's okay, Sookie. You're fine. You're okay. Everything will be fine." His words didn't register much with me, but his soft voice comforted me.

"How? How did you make it all go away?" I finally met his eyes again. He held my gaze steadily, offering the reassurance I so desperately sought. Once more, his hand made a move toward me before he let it drop. Strange. My heart is going to explode soon, though, I just know it is. A strange energy raced through my body. I was coiled, wound like a spring. My nerve endings tingled across every inch of my body. In the stillness of the room, my heartbeat thundered through the silence. I felt as if my very life depended on his next words. Anticipation swirled through me. I was intently aware of every moment passing by, every flicker of expression that crossed his face, every emotion I was so oddly picking up from him. I had the oddest tightness in my chest. "Tell me. I want to know everything, Eric. I need to know."

"You understand that I am vampire, yes?" He waited for my swift nod before continuing. "Vampire blood has some unique properties, and is possessed of it's own kind of magic. This is something we keep as a closely guarded secret, Sookie, and before I can tell you anything more, I must have your word that you will not reveal anything I tell you this night." Once again, he waited, one golden brow arched, for my swift nod. "If a vampire is injured, we heal rapidly. Our blood has regenerative qualities that are unmatched by anything else. No other species can heal itself as rapidly as vampire. It is the blood that animates us." He paused here, making sure I was following. "The magic our blood possesses can heal human wounds, not as well as for vampires, but enough to heal a human enough to prevent death, in most cases. You were in such poor condition last night, Sookie, but you were alive when I found you. I knew you would heal, and most importantly, live. You were in no condition at the time to accept or refuse my help. I made the decision for you. I fed you my blood."

I stared at him, my mouth once again gaping like a fish. He fed me his blood. I drank his blood. I drank vampire blood. I couldn't stop the blush that stained my cheeks as I thought of it. In my dreams, my vampire would feed from me, sure, but he often fed me his blood, too. It was always a highly charged, erotic experience in my dreams. But this was real life, and even though he looked just like my vampire, I forced myself to remember that he was a stranger to me. As were his intentions. If it's such a secret what vampire blood could do, why did he do it at all? What was in it for him? I was just as much a stranger to him. Did he run around feeding his blood to strangers all the time? I'd heard of people using V, what they called vampire blood, all the time on the news. It was becoming a problem, apparently. But I had drank vampire blood straight from a vampire. Wait! What did that mean?

"I'm not going to become a vampire, am I? Cause I gotta tell you - I'd be a bad vampire. I like the sun way too much." What a stupid thing to say, I thought to myself. He tells you he saved your life by feeding you his top-secret super healing blood, and you tell him you like the sun too much? What the hell am I thinking?

"No, little one. You are safe to tan, no worries." His tone was light, but there was a darker undercurrent of energy running between us as he spoke. "You will not turn into a vampire simply from consuming vampire blood. There is more to the process than that." He paused here, a myriad of odd expressions flashing across his face. "However, there are some side effects when a human consumes vampire blood. It is a result of the magic our blood possesses. Don't worry, there is nothing that will harm you, and most of these effects are beneficial to humans. You will likely have additional energy. Your strength will temporarily improve, as will your reflexes, speed and endurance. Your senses will be heightened somewhat, as well. Taste, sight, hearing, everything. These effects fade, supposing no further blood is ingested."

"So, what you're saying is that in addition to saving my life, I will also feel better than ever for a while? My feet won't hurt after a long shift? My dinner will taste better, and I'll smell the flowers more. That's all great. But you said most of the side effects are beneficial to me. What are the other things? And if they don't benefit me, the who do they benefit? You?" We were inches apart now, both of us having moved forward a little. He was almost bent double from the waist, but his eyes held mine steadily every time I looked at him. Why him? Why was he - the vampire I had dreamed of all my life - been the vampire to save my life? I didn't believe much in coincidences, but this was truly freaking me out.

"There are other effects, yes. It is highly probable, Sookie, that your libido will be somewhat increased, shall we say, for some time. And you will likely have some odd dreams, I would say. Of me." He looked, and sounded, just a little smug as he delivered this news. Boy, oh boy, could I tell him a thing or two about dreams. He doesn't know the meaning of odd!

"OK, then. Feeling all sexed up, and dreaming of you. Anything else I need to know?" My blush was betraying me, but I spoke quickly, I was so not interested in talking to this vampire about my sex dreams. About him. Same old, same old, right? Nothing new here, folks. Just keep moving.

"There is another small matter to discuss, yes. When a vampire gives his blood freely to another, part of his magic is transferred with the blood. A vampire can always sense this blood, and find it again if need be. In essence, with my blood inside you, I can sense you, to a degree. I can find you, where ever you might be, if I have to. I will be able to sense if you are in danger. My blood will call to me. We have a blood bond. now." He spoke very slowly, using a deep, measured tone. He seemed to be waiting for something. I don't know what, though. But if he's saying that he can sense me now, with his blood, does that mean I can sense him, too? It felt like a electrical charge between us. All this time, I've felt the oddest sensation of knowing his feelings. It was faint, sure, and confusing, but I'm sure it was happening. I can definitely feel him.

"So, when you say that you can sense me if I was in danger, is that it? Can you sense me all the time, or only if your blood calls you, like you said?"

He stared at me for long, silent moments before he spoke. His voice was noticeably gruff when he spoke. "I can sense you all the time." OK - there, I felt it again. That was resentment, and out of everything I was feeling, I hadn't hit resentment yet myself. He resented it! He didn't like sensing me.

"Sense me how? Like you know part of your blood is gone, or like you know how I am and what I'm feeling?" Did he regret giving me his blood? From what he said, it's a pretty big deal. Maybe he wants it back. A shudder ran down my spine and I wrenched myself backward a little. The thought completely unsettled me. Possessiveness raged through me. I wanted it, and he couldn't have it back, anyway.

"More like I know generally where you are, and how you are feeling. I can sense your emotions, yes." Regret sputtered from that place where I felt him in me, a heavy sadness with it. And a good dose of frustration. I'm definitely feeling him. This must be how he feels me, too. Truly odd. I might know everyone's deepest, darkest thoughts, but knowing someone's true emotions feels so much deeper than their thoughts. "It is an unaccustomed feeling, to say the least."

"You don't feel anyone else? Am I the only one with your blood?"

"I don't make a habit of distributing my blood, no. I cannot explain to you why I did, if I can be blunt. You are the only human with my blood in their veins."

I pulled myself to my feet, unable to sit still for a moment longer. I paced around the small room slowly, taking in everything he'd told me. It was a lot to take in, period. But throw everything he'd told me about what had happened, and mix that in with the history I had with him in my head, it was beyond confusing. There was no way to make this into any type of sense. I was having moments where I still thought this might be a dream, anything to explain away the bizarreness of my life now. Blood magic with my vampire dream lover. I snorted out loud as I paced, trying to ignore him and his compelling blue eyes. And here I always thought my telepathy was the weird thing about me. It seems like I'm just chipping away at the top of an iceberg now.

"Is there anything else I should know?" I faced him somewhat defiantly now, my hands on my hips.

"Nothing. I have told you the truth of the matter. Do you have any questions?"

I thought over his words carefully. If he's being honest, then this whole thing is not a very big deal. He saved my life, and there will be a few lingering effects, which will wear off, according to him. I had more questions than I knew what to do with, but none I could share with him. That would be too weird. But I was curious about how he managed to get rid of every trace of what happened last night. When I woke this morning, other than for a brief panic when I thought I knew what happened, there was no sign of it. Did he do other magic, too? Do vampires even do magic?

"How did you get rid of all the evidence last night? I mean, there must have been a lot of blood. I thought it must have been a bad dream. How did you do it? Magic?"

He laughed out loud at my question. "No magic, little one. I'm no witch. It was a simple matter of tidying up. You'll find your dirty clothes and bedding soaking in your washing machine." The smirk was back full force. His emotions were changing in the blink of an eye, but there was lust there, I could feel it making my knees weak. And it was having predictable results with my lady bits.

"Wait! You undressed me? You took my clothes off?" My face glowed red with that one, and my voice barely squeaked out my query. He undressed me? He saw me naked, for real naked?

"Why, yes I did, Sookie. I couldn't check your wounds very well with your clothes on. And I couldn't leave you to heal in bloody clothes and bedding." He was out right leering at me now, his eyes glowing brightly.

I swallowed hard and just stared at him, face aflame. My mind was reeling in so many directions, I almost felt like giving up. Until his next words, anyway.

"And besides, I couldn't very well shower with you with your clothes on, now could I?"

* * *

><p><em>I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Your reviews and messages have been so kind, and I appreciate it more than I can say.<em>

_Hope you enjoy this chapter, and where the story is headed. Much more plot coming up in the next chapters, as well as a glimpse of one of Sookie's dreams!_


	6. Goodbye, Sookie Stackhouse

_A great big thanks to everyone leaving reviews and adding this story to alerts. I hope you are enjoying the story. I'd love to hear what you think so far!_

_I'm not sure an alert went out for the last chapter, I know I didn't get one. You might want to check and make sure you've read that one first!_

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Her face flamed an even deeper red, if that were possible. She has been blushing madly the entire time I've been here, but now she looks as if her head might pop off. I can hear her heart thundering in her chest - it had been doing so all evening - but the rhythms were different now. The fear was taking a backseat to more important emotions. I had planned on making this conversation as short and sweet as possible, then get the hell away from her. Her presence in my life was not exactly welcome and the more distance I could put between us, the better. I find myself chafing a little under the weight of the bond between us. I've told the girl the truth of the matter in regards to the bond, but really, my knowledge of blood bonds is based on little more than vampire folklore. I've never bonded myself to a human before, but I've always heard that a single exchange would create just the beginnings of a bond, with just enough power to sense and protect, if need be. The bond between this girl and I is already so much stronger than that. Perhaps it was the amount of blood shared? I'm going to need to contact Godric about this. My maker has walked this earth twice my lifespan, and he has been bonded himself in the past. He's my only source for information at this point. I'm not willing to let any other vampire alive know that I'm bound to a human at this point. Telling Pam will be hard enough.

I'm shaken back to the present by the little yelp the girl gives as she stares at me. She really is quite beautiful, especially when she's mad. I don't remember any of the others being this beautiful. She's staring at me with anger in her eyes, but I can smell the arousal coming from her in waves. She might be mad, but she likes the thought of it. Perhaps a dalliance might not be a bad idea. I can fuck her out of my system once and for all and be done with her. I can always glamour myself right out of her head when I have my fill. The thought stiffens my cock even further - it's been hard ever since she opened her door to me. If I play my cards right, I can have her back in that shower tonight. I give into the temptation and release a little glamour over her - not enough to make her fall at my feet, but enough to make her want to give in to the desires raging through her.

"What's the matter, lover? I can assure you, I was a perfect gentleman. If you like, we can go on in and I'll re-enact it for you?" My voice was far huskier than I would have liked, but I wasn't surprised, really. She was having an unusual effect on me. Feeling her in the bond was proving to be a far more intense situation than I had thought it me be. I was attracted to her and feeling her reciprocating the lust in the bond was a heady experience. I can only imagine how intense that might be during sex. If what I was feeling in the bond was any indication, she would prove to be a passionate lover. I raised my right brow and continued, "This time, though, you'll be awake enough to soap up every inch of my flesh as I did for you. What do you say, lover? Want me to show you what I did?"

"You listen to me, buddy! No matter what you might be thinking in your dirty head, I am a lady, and you will not speak like that to me in my own home! I appreciate what you did for me and all, but I'm not about to fall into bed with you. Or shower with you!" Her eyes flashed fire as she spoke to me and the truth behind her words was clear to me without the aid of the bond. Interesting. My glamour must have been a little too subtle. I don't make it a habit of glamouring women into my bed, perhaps I was too gentle with my direction. I capture her gaze before trying again. She really is cute as hell when she's mad. What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't even be here. I want to fuck her till she can't think straight, but I'm not going to. Not until I think this through. And that fire she shows is one hell of a turn on, too. I suddenly find myself a little disgusted by the idea of glamouring her into my bed. If I'm going to fuck her, I want her to know I'm fucking her. She would be spectacular, I'm sure. Her body is clearly made for sin. Those hips could start wars. I still need to try the glamour again, though. She shouldn't be able to resist me so easily.

"Sookie, relax. Just joking. Why don't you just come over and sit beside me?" Straightforward enough. She can't refuse this, I thought to myself.

"I think I will stay right where I am, thank you! And if that's all you have to say to me, I will say goodnight and goodbye right now." She refused my offer, and my glamour, once more. What the hell? Glamour is one of my stronger vampiric traits. I can even glamour small crowds easily. This emotional young woman should be putty in my hands, but she's actually backing away from me a bit. My glamour is falling flat. I think hard, remembering the last version of this girl to cross my path. She'd been easy to glamour. She'd followed my glamour right ino death. I shook myself a little internally, ripping those memories away and boxing them into the back of my mind. That girl had been dead for centuries. This girl was alive and well, thanks to me, but totally impervious to my glamour. I would have to ask Pam to try sometime, but I didn't hold out much hope. If I can't glamour someone, it can't be done.

I throw up my hands in a mock surrender. It won't do me any good for this little thing to throw me out - not until I decide what to do with her. At least she didn't call me 'buddy' again. She's practically spitting animosity towards me now, but I can still feel her arousal through the bond, driving my lust into high gear. I would have to step back a little and take this slower. A human that can't be glamoured is a dangerous human. And this girl is pure danger.

"Relax, little one. You can't blame a guy for trying, right?" I deliberately make my tone light and teasing, attempting to diffuse the tension gripping the room. "I assure you again, you are safe from me. I mean you no harm."

She huffs at me, and continues her pacing silently, shooting daggers at me from underneath her thick lashes occasionally. I can feel the uncertainty course through her, but her desire was still burning, too, as well as a healthy dose of curiosity. I decide to channel the conversation back to practical matters.

"Not to bring up unpleasantries again, but do you have any idea of who did this to you? Is there someone who wishes you harm? Anyone with a grudge?"

She came to a sudden standstill in front of me. Shock had returned to her face, making her gorgeous blue eyes round and wide. "I hadn't thought about it at all. I'm sorry - I've just been distracted by everything else. I don't know anyone who would hurt me like that. No one. This is a good town. I've known everyone here my whole life. They all might think I'm a little crazy, but no one is ever even really mean to me, let alone try to hurt me."

"Why do they think you're crazy?" Of everything I expected to hear, I was shocked to imagine an entire town condemning this bright young thing as crazy.

"Oh, well, you know how it is in small towns sometimes." With an impatient wave of her hand, she dismissed the situation. "I did meet a vampire last night, though."

I chuckled a little at that. She really is very naive. "I don't think a vampire could be held responsible for this, Sookie. You were beaten, not drained. No vampire marks anywhere on your body."

"I didn't say I thought it was a vampire, mister! I said I met a vampire last night at work. When I was leaving, I came upon him and a couple of Bon Temps finest citizens. They were trying to drain him and I drove them off. Maybe they weren't too happy with my interfering." She shuddered at this thought. "If anyone from Bon Temps did this, my money would be one them. They hate me, anyway."

I couldn't have been more shocked if she told me she had a vacation home on Mars. She'd stopped drainers? This little thing? What the hell? My eyebrows were battling with my hairline. "What exactly do you mean, Sookie? Tell me what happened."

"It was nothing, really. I was working - I work at Merlotte's, do you know it?" I nodded. I'd known the shifter every since he'd settled in my Area. "Anyhoo, we had our first vampire customer, and when I was leaving my shift I saw the Rattray's trying to drain him. They had used silver on him, and they had a big IV in his arm, draining his blood. I didn't do anything, really - just drove at them like I was going to run them over." An intense expression of distaste came over her face just as I felt the waves of revulsion coming through the bond. What was going through her mind? "I took the silver off him and made sure he was OK, then I came home. You know more about the rest than I do."

Gods, did she have a death wish? I stared at her hard for a moment. Either she was the dumbest creature I had ever met - or perhaps crazy as the town believed - or she was the bravest, most compassionate human I have ever met. I kept my eyes on her as rose to my feet, towering over her much smaller frame. I slowly, coldly asked my next question. I don't know why I wasn't surprised when I detected no fear from her, only irration and annoyance.

"Do you want to die, Sookie? Have a vampire drain you?" I deliberately closed the gap between us and put my face mere inches from hers as I spoke. My fangs dropped down as I hissed at her. The infuriating chit actually had the gall to roll her eyes before snorting out what I can only assume was a negative response. She runs off drainers, who are often using too much of their own product, making them unpredictable and dangerous. She's then approached an injured, drained vampire and released - actually fucking released - him from his restraints. Now she's facing me down, a 1000 year old vampire who is twice her size, baring fangs. Her reaction is to roll her fucking eyes. Maybe she is crazy.

"Of course I don't want to die, Eric. That's ridiculous. What would you have had me do, leave him there to die? Y'all can't take silver off by yourself, right? He would have died when the sun came up, right? How could I have lived with myself then, knowing I'd just let someone die?" Her speech was impassioned, and she clearly meant every word uttered and I couldn't help but feel a little respect for this girl. She'd risked her own life for a vampire. She spoke as if she didn't register the difference between human and vampire. I genuinely believed she would have felt guilt had death come to the drained vampire. I wonder who that was, though, to get themselves caught by drainers in Bon Temps, of all places. Even though he hasn't checked in with me yet, Compton's scent was all over the house next to Sookie's. But even Bill Compton isn't stupid enough to get caught by backwater drainers. Whoever it was, they should be reporting in with me tonight about it. Drainers are a serious threat we hadn't anticipated during the Great Revelation.

"Do you realize the danger you put yourself in? Vampires are much more dangerous than you know. And an injured, drained vampire is nearly always lethal to be around. You could have been killed. I honestly can't believe you weren't!" My voice rose as I spoke to her. I couldn't help imagining the scenario as a cold feeling settled in. I would have been too late again. Her eyes narrowed as she stood her ground, but there was still no fear on her face, or in the bond.

"OK. I get it. Stupid move. I promise you the next time I will walk away and just let them die. Is that acceptable?" By God, she was impressive. Standing in front of me wearing nothing but a faded Bon Temps High T-shirt over a bikini, hands on her hips, blue eyes shooting fire at me. And shooting sass right at me. I should turn her over my knee and paddle some sense into the girl. My erection throbbed painfully at the thought and I had to work extra hard to keep my cool with this little human. I shoved a hand through my hair as I breathed in a lungful of unnecessary, but still calming, breath.

"I'm sorry, little one. Is that acceptable? I just don't want you to come away from this thinking all vampires have the control I have. Or even the manners I have. I am old, Sookie, probably one of the oldest in the country. Even at my age, I couldn't guarantee any human they'd be safe in that circumstance. I would probably have enough control not to completely drain you, but there are many others who would feel no guilt in doing so. I don't wish to frighten you, but if there are vampires around, you should be aware of the dangers."

"I'm sorry - I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Especially considering all you did for me. I know you are just warning me, and I really do appreciate it. I don't know how many vampires I'll be around, but I promise I will be careful." She dropped my gaze for a moment, flashing downwards at the ground. Once again, I could feel her arousal whispering through the bond. She met my eyes swiftly again, though, and gave me an agonizingly beautiful smile. "Forgive me?"

Forgive her? Her words hit me with the force of a sledgehammer to the chest. Gods, if she only knew what she asked. I know it is brutally unfair of me to pin the sins of the others on her, but I couldn't separate the two in my mind just yet. I don't know if I ever could. The despair and heartache caused by this woman, even if it wasn't really her, engraved large warning signs across my heart and mind. I couldn't afford to forgive her, not really. But that's not what this girl is asking, though, is it? This girl is unaware of the danger she poses to my sanity. She is an innocent in this. So far.

"There's nothing to forgive. Just please heed my warnings. I may be able to sense if you are in danger, but keep in mind I may not always reach you in time. Do not count on me as a guardian angel, Sookie. I can assure you that would be a mistake." I lied, of course. I didn't know this one, but I already knew I would do whatever was in my power to keep her alive. For what purpose, I don't know, other than I cannot face defeat at her hands yet again. Winning felt too damned good.

"Well, if that's everything, Eric, I will thank you again for helping me the way you did. I will heed your warnings, don't worry. You saved my life once - it would be way too presumptuous for me to assume you'd be there at the right moment again." Was I being dismissed? I chuckled to myself at that. She has style, this one.

"Unless you have any further questions for me, I think we've covered everything we need to. It was my pleasure to meet you." Oddly enough, I meant it. She was very pleasant to be around. Her scent was divine, and her beauty unmatched in my eyes. She was sharp and bright, and speaking with her had not been the chore I imagined it might be. I briefly let my mind wander to what she might be like to bed, before drawing myself rapidly back. I had to keep my distance from this one. We are already too tightly bound for my liking. Bedding her might rock my world, but I can't forget the danger she always brings to me.

"Thank you again, Eric. I truly mean it. And it was my pleasure to meet you." A new blush stained her cheeks as she spoke of her pleasure in meeting me. Oh, if she only knew how much pleasure I could give her. To my surprise, she stuck her hand out to me, offering a handshake. She clearly hasn't spent time with vampires before. As a rule, vampires don't like to be touched. Our senses are just far too acute to deal with such intimate contact frequently. But I gladly reached out my hand to meet hers, if only for the chance to touch her silken skin again. My large hand easily engulfed her small warm one. Her warmth was delicious, inviting. I don't think I even gave it any thought before I was gently tugging on her arm, pulling her closer and closer until she was in my arms, her soft, curvy body pressed to me. I wrapped my arms around her quickly, before she could protest my moves. I buried my face in her hair for just a moment, and I inhaled deeply, drinking in her scent. She was pure eroticism, a she-devil in disguise. Her heady aroma invaded me, nearly driving me insane. A low, frustrated groan turned into a full on growl as I more roughly disengaged and set her away from me.

"Goodbye, Sookie Stackhouse." And with that, I was out the door and launching off her shaky porch into the night sky.

* * *

><p>SPOV<p>

I'm not sure how long I just stood there in the living room after he left, but I'm sure it must have been minutes. I couldn't take it all in, and really just blanked out for a few minutes. What the hell just happened? Have I really gone as crazy as people have said all my life? I conjured up my fantasy lover from my dreams and projected him into reality. I mean, was he even here? I think he was, but was he like really here, like here so that other people could see him, too? Was I so lonely and starved for love that I created him in my mind? How the hell else am I ever going to be able to explain how the vampire I made love to in my dreams every night was alive and well, or dead and well, whatever. But he was real, an actual person, or vampire. He was the exact same as my dreams. His voice was how I knew it would be. His eyes were achingly familiar. His face, his body. It was all the same. I laughed to myself when I thought about it. Everything was exactly the same from what I could see. My dream lover has what I like to call a gracious plenty, if y'll get my drift. Eric, the real version of my vampire, was sporting a hell of a perma-boner the whole time he was here and to my practiced eye, he's also blessed with a gracious plenty.

I made my way to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. I needed to sit down. I had to get a grip on what the heck was going on. I have to accept he's real. I know myself, and I'm really not crazy. Lonely, sure, but not crazy. He's real. He was here. His name is Eric. He's gorgeous. I groan and bang my head off the kitchen table. What the hell was going on? I wished many times he were real, but I didn't mean it really. Not so I thought he ever could be real, or that he'd just walk into my life one night. I never thought of him in that way. He's more like my naughty little secret. He's just mine, and for a girl like me, let's face it. A really, really good, really, really sexy dream lover is better than no lover at all. I made the mistake one night, after a few too many wine coolers, of telling Tara and Lafayette about him. They'd teased me for weeks. The only other person who knew about him was Gran. And really, I told her about him when I was just a kid. My dreams of him at that time were very different than they are now!

I'd often wondered about it, but I really only ever came to the conclusion that he was my equivalent of an imaginary friend. I was a scared and lonely child. My parents, even though I think they loved me in their own way, were mostly scared of me, and scared for me. They didn't know what to do with me. They just didn't know how to deal with my telepathy. I don't think they ever accepted that was what I am. The first dreams I can remember of my vampire started when I was about six, about a year before my parents died. Everything was so hard on me in those days. I was in school, but school was not kind to me. I didn't have any kinds of shields back then, and it was too much some times. There were many days that mama or daddy, or sometimes Gran, had to come get me from school. Strange to think of it now, but it was my vampire who taught me how to begin to build my shields. He just had a way of explaining it that made sense to my brain.

In the beginning, all my dreams were about my vampire teaching me how to do things. I can remember him teaching me how to speak the strange languages he spoke. He would laugh at my pronunciation, prodding me to do better and better. When I was about eight or so, after my parents died and I came to live with Gran, I started dreaming of my vampire teaching me to fight, training with knives and swords. I didn't like it at first, it scared me for some reason and I woke up crying a few times. One night when Gran was comforting me, I'd told her all about my dreams and my vampire friend. She sat quietly the entire time, letting me pour my story out to her. She only asked me a couple of questions that night. She wanted to know his name, what he looked like, and whether I trusted him. I told her exactly what he looked at, and even then I knew without a doubt I trusted him and I told her so. It was the fighting that scared me. I couldn't give her a name, though, because that was the one part of my vampire dreams I never, ever remembered. I knew I knew his name, but I could never recall it when awake. Except now, of course, I know it's Eric. Anyway, my Gran sat very quietly that night, rocking me in her arms, for a long time. I was almost back to sleep when she spoke again. I've never forgotten her words.

"Sometimes, Sookie, the world works in mysterious ways. You've just got to keep your mind open to what is in this world for you. Trust in yourself, my girl, and trust your vampire to look after you. I think you can trust him, child."

When I think about it now, her words hold so much more meaning. But, then again, how could she have known any better than me about this? It's not like she ever could have known he was real. But her tone that night, the firm way she spoke to me, it all creeped me out a little now that I thought about it. The whole damned thing is freaking me out too much. I down my glass of water and start to pace the house.

OK. One. He's real and no amount of trying to talk myself out of it will work.

Two. He's a real live vampire and I have his blood in my veins. He said it was blood magic. I have a magic bond with the real Eric.

Three. I have to learn more about vampires.

Four. Why was I feeling him? I know I should have told him I was feeling him, but really, I asked him and he said he was telling me everything. So why didn't he mention I should be able to feel him, too?

Five. God, he was so sexy. The way he pulled me to him... Sookie! snap out of it!

Six. What the hell do I know about about him, anyway? His name is Eric, he's tall, blonde and sexy as hell. That's all I know. Oh, and he said he was old. That's not a whole lot. I never even asked him what his last name was, for cripes sake!

Seven. Can I trust him? Can I trust any vampires? He did say they weren't all as nice as him.

Eight. Will I ever see him again? Do I even want to see him again? Parts of me stood up and did a little victory dance, I'll admit it. I'd love to see a LOT more of him. But do I really want a vampire lover in real life? When they came out of the coffin a few years ago, it's not like I became one of those fangbangers you hear about. I didn't make a beeline for the first vamp I could find. Do I want to do this, for real? It was so nice not to be able to hear his thoughts. Just like Bill Compton last night, his brain was a void to me. Nothing. No thoughts. It was very relaxing.

Nine. What does all this matter? I'll probably never see him again. He didn't say he'd see me again. Didn't tell me his full name. Didn't leave a phone number. Nothing. Other than the moment we shared right before he bolted, he never indicated any real interest in me. I'll probably never see him again.

Ten. Why do I feel so sad now?

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

I flew as high and as fast as I could, bellowing my rage to the stars. Fuck! Fuck! What the hell am I going to do? She unsettled me, and that unsettled me even further. Pam would tell you I'm a control freak, but I've lived to this ripe old age by avoiding things that unsettle me. I like to have a plan, I like to plan. That's one of the biggest problems with vampires, really. We have way too much time on our hands, and plotting and planning is a favorite hobby. Something to keep you interested in life. I plot with the very, very best of them. I don't like the feelings she stirs in me, I don't like feeling her in the bond. I don't like feeling. Period. I should have just drained her and been free to live my life. Ha! Who do I think I'm fooling? I drained her once before, and look where that got me.

I drop onto the rooftop of Fangtasia and make my way to the hidden trapdoor. I put this in six months or so after we opened when I realized it would be nice to get in and out of my office without anyone knowing I was in the bar. Sometimes it was just the only way to get things done. Not a bad idea to have an escape hatch, either. We live in a peaceful state, and I run my Area with a tight fist, but you never, ever know what could happen with vampire politics. I enter my office from the hidden entrance and immediately call my child to my side. As much as I hate to give her any information she can use in her never ending quest to torment me into my final death, I will need her help with this matter. Which means I'm going to have to tell her what's hapening.

"Eric. I wasn't sure I was going to see you tonight." Pam's face was totally impassive, but I knew better. She's just digging for information.

"Pam, have a seat. I need you to run a background check for me on a Sookie Stackhouse of Bon Temps. She works for Sam Merlotte, the shifter who runs the bar out that way. I want to know everything there is to know - family history, friends, school records, employment records, income, everything. Everything, you understand me? Human and supe records."

"Yes, Eric. I'll be as thorough as I always am. You know that. Who is the girl, and what am I looking for?"

"I don't know much to tell you. She is living in a rundown farmhouse apparently alone. Her house is located within walking distance of the home I suspect Compton has moved into. Have we heard from him yet? No? I may have to pay him a visit soon. As for the girl, I'm particularly interested in any connection to the Fae you might find. Some of the Supe records might be helpful there." The various supernatural groups residing in Louisiana didn't actively work together, and many were very secretive of their existence and didn't keep records. In Area Five, though, we had worked hard to maintain relationships with several other groups, mostly Weres, weres and demons. Weres and demons had a habit of tracking other supe movement in their areas. The goodwill we enjoyed with these groups might bring in some useful information.

"The Fae!" Pam's blue eyes widened before losing a little of their focus. Fairies can fairly be considered the vampire equivalent of crack. Their blood is highly sought after for it's intoxicating qualities, not to mention what fairy blood does for a vampire's sex drive. "You think she's involved with fairies?"

"I smelled fairy quite strongly at her house last night. There must have been a full fairy there no more than a few minutes before I arrived. The scent was still very strong. I don't know what she knows, if anything, about their presence at her home. I also need you to find and address for a Rattray in Bon Temps. I doubt they are the Fae connection, but Sookie tells me they are drainers. We need to talk to them."

"How does she know this?"

"It would seem the girl is a little impulsive. She apparently came upon them as they were draining a vampire and drove them off, as she put it. This was last night, I would expect to hear from someone in the area tonight about this. Has anyone come forward?" Pam shook her head. "As soon as someone reports this, I want to speak to them personally."

"I will bring them straight to you, as soon as possible. I'll start pulling records for the Stackhouse girl right away. And I will get you the drainers address. You say she came to this vampires aid? Why would she do such a thing?"

"If you can believe it, Pam, she said she couldn't just leave him there to die. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if he died. Can you believe that?" I shook my head, still a bit bemused by her behavior.

"Interesting. Why this girl, Eric? What is the interest? I can smell her on you. It was her blood you were covered in last night. What's going on?" Pam stared at me steadily. She was never one to accept orders without questioning. She drove me mad, but I love her. What do I tell her? Should I tell her everything? It's not like she's unaware of all the past events in my life. I'd told Pam about her many years ago, when we'd left for the New World. I released Pam from my control the night I told her about the girl. And she knows about the dreams, too. I'd broken down and told her a little of what was happening one night after a particularly bloody and brutal dream. If there was one person in this world I trusted with my secrets, it was Pam. She might tease me for an eternity with what I tell her, but she would defend me, and my secrets, to the death is need be. It would only be fair to tell her the truth at this point. I would be needing her help dealing with Ms. Stackhouse.

"It's her Pam. She's back. But this time, I was just in time, Pam. I was just in time."

* * *

><p>Hope you like!<p> 


	7. Fangtasia, here I come!

_Thanks so much to everyone for the kind reviews and messages. I love you all._

_I just wanted to say, as well, that I can't believe how many people are reading this story! I took a look at the stats for the first time today, and I'm blown away. I'd love to hear from more of you. Please tell me what you think!_

* * *

><p>SPOV<p>

It's been three weeks since my vampire lover walked out of my dreams and straight into my life. Three long, lonely, confusing weeks have passed since the night he walked right out of my life again. Three weeks since my life as I knew it ended abruptly. I haven't seen him since, and after all this time has passed, I'm starting to believe I might not see him again. And that thought still leaves me sad.

I wish I could explain it better, but I can't find the words to give it adequate weight. I feel alone like I never have before - and I've had some lonely times in my past. This loneliness weighs heavily on me, a weight that settles on my shoulders when I wake and only slips free when I drift into sleep. I find no solace in sleep these days, though, as my vampire lover has deserted my dreams, too. Ever since the night he appeared, before disappearing just as quickly, I haven't dreamed once. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Not even a glimpse of my lover. I feel more alone than ever. I've never, ever gone so long without him with me. His absence hurts me to my very core, leaving me feeling like half of me is missing. It's funny, really. I'd dreamed of him forever, but I really just took it all for granted. I'd had him for so long all to myself, I never learned to appreciate what I had. If I could only have him back - even if just for one night - I would tell him what he meant to me. I would cherish him the way I should have all along. I just want him back. I need him.

Is this the blood magic he spoke of? I feel him, living within me, a separate life force humming along in my mind. It's the strangest sensation in the world to experience another person's emotions first-hand. It's not as clear as it was that night he was here, so maybe it's wearing off a little, or it's just the distance I feel between us, but it's still enough to make me aware of him from sunset to sunrise. I know when he's awake, I know when he's asleep. I know when he's hungry, and I'm starting to figure out when he's having his dinner, so to speak. That's the part of my evening I find the most objectionable - feeling him wanting and having another. I mean, first of all yuck! I don't want to know these things! Second of all, I can't help the jealousy that spreads through me when I feel him like this. And third, it kind of creeps me out how angry he gets when he's done his dinner, if we're still calling it that. I don't know a whole lot about sex, that's true enough. But I really don't think anger is the right emotion to have right after. Is it? Is this a vampire thing? My dream vampire was never angry after sex, but I know that's not exactly real.

Anyway, the bond is strange, weird, exhilaratingly, frightening, exhausting and reassuring all rolled into one. I don't feel so alone, in a weird way, but in other ways I feel more alone than before. I deal with people's unwanted thoughts all day long, and they're right in front of me. All night long, I deal with the emotions of someone who is physically missing. I find myself being swept into the current of his emotions from time to time, before realizing his feelings are influencing mine. I've gotten better about controlling the flow of his emotions through me, kind of like I control the flow of others thoughts into my head. It doesn't always work, but it helps me get through my evenings, especially at work. At home alone, most evenings I drop the shields and let the bond flow. I suspect he has ways of muting it on his end, too, because there are times it flares up so strong, it's like a maelstrom of feeling swirling through me. He must have trouble controlling it closer to sunrise, as well, because he's become my own personal alarm clock, blaring in my head a few minutes before sunrise every morning so far.

I have thought about him every waking minute of my day ever since that night. He haunts my thoughts all day long when the bond is quiet. Yesterday Sam even had to ask me if everything was OK after I messed up my third order of the day. He was so sweet to me, so worried about me. I just didn't know what to say to him. Sorry, Sam, I'm just mourning the loss of my vampire dream lover, even as I come to grips with the fact that he's real? Yeah, that would have went over real well. I made up some ridiculous excuse about not feeling the best, and told him I hadn't been sleeping well. Which wasn't too far from the truth, when you thought about it. I find myself staying up later and later into the night, not wanting to let sleep take him away from me, especially since he doesn't visit my dreams lately. I don't always like what I feel from him, but I'm staring to become addicted to being able to feel and sense him in the bond. I don't know how I will deal with it fading away eventually.

It's not like I didn't have anything to worry about, though. My vampire might have disappeared from my life, but that didn't mean I was vampire free. Bill Compton has been putting in regular appearances at Merlotte's the last few weeks. He always sat in my section, and Arlene and Lafayette have both told me that if he comes in and I'm not working, he leaves again right away. He's only showing up here for me, and that's really creeping me out. The very next shift I worked, he came in and sat in my section. When I went to take his order, all he wanted to do was talk about how I'd saved him, and how he owed me now. He suggested that I allow him to take me to dinner as a thank you, but he just made me as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. He set me on edge and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I refused his offer, of course, politely but firmly. He'd objected, of course, but I was firm in my refusal. That didn't get rid of him, only served to make him more persistent. Every shift, he would show up and renew his offer. Every time I would say no, but it didn't do enough to make him leave. He's just sit and stare at me for hours while I worked, sipping on the True Blood Sam stocked for him.

If all that wasn't bad enough, I was starting to think he was stalking me at my home. I wasn't sure, of course, but I knew there was a vampire on my property every night. I couldn't read vampire minds, it would seem, but their lack of brain waves made a distinct impression in my mind. It was like there was a void where a vampire brain should have resided, and I was sensing a void on my property every evening, just after dark. I was so excited the first time I sensed the vampire on my property - I was just so sure it was my vampire. But it wasn't Eric, or at least I was pretty sure it wasn't. I still felt him in my head, still felt those pulls on my consciousness that I associated with him. I may not have seen him in these last weeks, but I sure as hell felt him. I don't understand this magical blood bond we had, I thought I had a little bit of a handle on how it worked and he seemed as far away as he ever did. If there really was a vampire on my property every night, I didn't think it was him. And since Bill Compton was the only other vampire I knew, it made sense that it was him. He had shown up at my door just last night, as a matter of fact, just after sunset. I'd worked the lunch shift that day, and was just home when the knock came to the door. I still can't believe he can't take a hint.

I'd sensed his void when the knock came on the door, and seriously debated whether I was even going to answer the it. I could feel the bond with Eric in my mind, and I just didn't believe it was him. I couldn't help the long, low sigh that escaped me when I saw him on the other side of the door.

"Good evening, Sookie. How are you this evening?" He stood there smiling at me, staring hard into my eyes. I felt the same prickly sensation in my brain as I did every time I saw him. It was like the man was trying to bore holes through my brain. I'd spent a lot of time the last three weeks Googling every bit of vampire information on the internet and I'd read a couple of blogs about vampire's ability to glamour people. From what I understood, it was kind of a souped up hypnosis. If that's what he was trying to do to me, it wasn't working. Maybe my telepathy cancels him out? I don't know, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that's what he was trying. I plastered a weak version of my Crazy Sookie smile on my face, and stood a little taller.

"Good evening to you, too, Mr. Compton. It's a fine evening, isn't it?" My Gran's neverending lessons in grace and hospitality served me well. "What can I do for you?" I stepped out onto the porch. I wasn't sure why I disliked this vampire so much, but I sure as hell wasn't going to invite him into my home.

"I've come to beg a favor from you, Sookie." He pushed his thick dark hair back from his forehead a little. "I am heading to New Orleans for the evening tomorrow for a last minute business party. I was actually hoping you might agree to accompany me on the trip. My employers kind of expect their underlings to invite a guest to these events, and since I'm so new to the area and don't really know anyone here, I was truly hoping, Sookie, that I could convince you to accompany me." Again, I felt the prickling sensation in my brain. Surely, he wasn't serious? I barely knew him, and rebuffed every advance he made. His syrupy Southern charm seemed fake and smarmy. What would it take to make him give up?

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Compton, but I won't be able to help you out. I have to work, and it's far too late to change my shifts now." I crossed my arms over my chest, carefully keeping a three foot distance between us. "And to be honest, Mr. Compton, even if I were free, I don't think it would be appropriate to travel anywhere with you. I don't know you, and I don't make it a habit to go out of town with strangers."

"Sookie, please, I've asked you before to call me Bill." Yes, you have. But you've never asked for permission to call me Sookie. "I can assure you, my dear, if you choose to accompany me, everything will be above board. I would expect nothing more than your charming company. You would have your own room. It's just for one night, Sookie. Won't you reconsider? Perhaps if I spoke to your boss?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Compton." Suck on that, creepy vampire. I'll never call you Bill. "I thank you for the invitation, but my decision stands. I can't accept your invitation. And I'm sorry to be rude, but I really must get back inside."

"I'm sorry, too, my dear. I had really hoped to convince you to accompany me. Are you sure I can't change your mind? If you are worried about missing work, I would be happy to reimburse you for any lost wages." He looked almost desperate in the harsh light of the outdoor bulb. I felt an uneasy sensation sliding down my spine. Fear. I trusted this vampire less everytime I saw him. Now his insistence I go to New Orleans had me scared to death. There was something so desperate and scary in his tone, almost if my attending this event was essential. I drew myself back further, moving towards the door as I did so.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Compton, but as I said, it's impossible. If you will excuse me, I will bid you goodnight. I hope you enjoy your trip." I stepped into the safety of the house, closing the door firmly behind me before drawing the deadbolt. Compton just stood there for a minute longer. I almost got the feeling he wasn't going to leave when he finally made his way off my porch and across the cemetary that separated our houses. I stayed inside all evening.

I glanced at the clock on my dresser. If I was going to make it to work on time, I was going to have to haul my butt in gear. I jumped through the shower quickly before dressing in my Merlotte's summer uniform of a tight white T with the Merlotte's logo and my black short shorts. I looked out the window as I dressed. Summer was coming to an end. It wouldn't be long before I'd have to break out my winter uniform. I offered up a quick prayer for a long, Indian summer before hurrying out the door and into my car. My daydreaming had taken up most of my day and now I was really going to have to hustle to make it in time. I just prayed for a normal, quiet night at work, but since it was Friday, that wasn't likely to happen. Tonight I'd be slinging beers until we closed the doors at 1:30.

The first couple of hours of my shift flew by quickly with no problems. I was settled into a rhythm and was totally on top of my game. I hadn't messed up a single order all evening. I was even able to put aside thoughts of my vampire, of Eric. I was standing at the kitchen window laughing with Lafayette when Arlene nudged me with her elbow. I glanced up to see what she wanted and when she jerked her head silently in the direction of the dining room, my heart sank. Even without seeing him, I got what Arlene was trying to tell me. Bill Compton was here again.

"Sorry, Sooks, but he's in your section again." Arlene shook her head at me, her bright red curls bobbing about her face. "Want to switch sections for the rest of the night, honey? I can handle him for you tonight."

"Arlene, I can't ask you to do that. I can deal with him, I just don't want to have to." I sighed as I thought of it. I really hated to think of him staring at me all night.

"Honey child, you should just tell Sam to get rid of the deader. He wouldn't want you to have to deal with this if he knew how you felt." Lafayette's warm voice offered reassurance. At least I had good friends. "Switch with Arlene, baby girl."

"OK. Only if you're sure, Arlene?" I gave in, knowing it would make the night somewhat more bearable. It wouldn't stop his staring, of course, but at least I wouldn't be forced to wait on him. "I'll owe you one."

In the end, it hadn't mattered a whit. Just as I suspected, he stared at me the entire evening, but when I didn't approach him, he made multiple attempts to corner me in the restaurant. My nerves, already on edge, snapped when he appeared behind me for the last time. There's only so much intimidation you can put up with before you start to feel like prey. And that's exactly how he made me feel - like I was his prey. Considering that vampires are, at the heart of the matter, predators, the sensation didn't sit well with me. The fight or flight reflex kicked in pretty fast. Jason had taught me years ago never to run from a predator. Predators lived for the hunt. My only other option was fight. And that's what I did.

I knew he was coming up right behind me when I felt his void of a brain moving im my direction. As soon as he paused, I spun around at a faster than human speed, still strong from my vampire blood transfusion. Before he had a chance to respond, I was up in his face, screaming like a banshee.

"Just what the hell do you want with me, Bill Compton? Tell me! I don't appreciate you trying to scare me like this! I want you to leave me alone!" I didn't back down one bit and was mentally fistpumping when I saw the look of shock cross his face. This wasn't what he expected at all. In a flash, Sam and Terry Bellefleur were by my side. Neither would be any match for this vampire, but I appreciated the loyalty.

"Problem, Sookie?" Sam was a great boss and never let customers mess with his staff. He wasn't going to back down in front of this vampire, either. I couldn't hear his thoughts clearly, Sam was always hard to read, but his brain was reading red and snarly right now. Terry stepped right up behind him. I don't know what he was thinking because I'd long since learned to create a kind of permanent shield around Terry's thoughts. Trust me, most of the time you just couldn't imagine. The man had lived through hell.

"Nope." I took a step away from Bill, but kept my eyes on him. He looked pissed off, royally so. "I think Mr. Compton was just about to tell me how he's leaving now." I paused and looked meaningfully at Sam. "I think he also wants to tell you, Sam, that he won't be coming around Merlotte's again, right Mr. Compton?" I looked back to Bill to see the effect my words would have. I'm not sure it's a good idea to piss of a vampire, but I'm not coward. My heart did flutter just a little, though, when I saw the venomous look in his narrowed eyes before he looked to Sam.

"I'm afraid that I have offended Sookie with my attentions. I offer my sincerest apologies, and offer assurances this was not my intention. Since my presence here is an issue, I will take my leave." He stopped and looked at me again. "I'll see you around, Sookie." He was gone before anyone could blink.

I was second guessing myself right away - what the hell had I done? I'd just antagonized a vampire who was already showing an unhealthy interest in me. One who just happened to live right next to my deserted country home, miles from anywhere. I started to shake just a little as it sank in. I could be in real trouble here. I felt a pang of longing for Eric at that moment, the real one. I don't why, but I'm sure Eric could easily make him back off.

"Hey - hey, Sookie! Oh, cher, it's OK, he's gone. Come on back to the office for a minute and take a break." Sam took charge and started to lead me down the hallway when I showed no inclination to move. He opened the office door and pointed to the couch. "Have a seat. I'll be right back." I sat down and tried to snap myself out of the funk I was suddenly in. No point in crying over spilled milk, is there? I'd done what I'd done,and maybe I was overreacting anyway. I was only supposing I'd made a bad situation worse. In my heart, though, I knew he was bad news. How the hell am I going to get away from him?

"So, what was that all about, Sookie?" Sam came back in with a hot, steaming cup of coffee that he pressed into my hands before sitting behind his desk. "Is he giving you trouble?"

"I don't even know what to say, Sam. He comes in every night and just sits and stares at me. He asks me out every chance he gets and I always say no. But he lives in the old Compton place, Sam, right across the cemetary from me. And I think he hangs around my house at night. Yesterday he showed up at my door asking me to go to New Orleans with him for some wonky business thing. As if!" I snorted as I thought about it. "I can handle myself, but he is a vampire and I'm not feeling as safe as I was. It was stupid to freak out like that, but I couldn't take it anymore." I took a sip of the coffee and thought about it for a moment. "I don't know what to do, Sam."

Sam shook his head at me, a mournful expression on his face. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on, cher? I could have helped, you know."

"Sam, I love you for saying it, but this isn't some drunk redneck we're talking about. It's a vampire and you would have no better shot at him than I would. Sorry," I added meekly, afraid of wounding his male pride. I was right, though.

"Sook, I'm not dumb enough to even try to take on a vamp. But I do know people, and I've learned things through the years. Vampires sort of police themselves, and there's a vampire power structure, I'd guess you'd say. Every vampire has a Sheriff they have to report to. With them just out and all, I'd say maintaining relationships with humans is pretty important to them. If you really want to stop this situation before it gets out of hand, you really need an appointment with the Sheriff of this area and file a formal complaint. If you make it formal, the Sheriff will be obligated to follow up."

I felt the laughter bubble up inside me. A vampire sheriff? I was having sudden visions of Bud Dearborn with fangs. Was he serious?

"Are you pulling my leg?" I demanded. When he very firmly shook his head, I had sudden hope. "But how the hell do I even find this guy, Sam? Bill's the only vampire I know" - I pushed away thoughts of Eric that invaded my brain - "and I can't exactly ask him for the name and location of his Sheriff."

"I've met the Sheriff of this area before, Sookie." Sam spoke very carefully, like he was thinking hard about what he was saying before he spoke. "I know where to find him. He runs a bar in Shreveport that I understand he also runs his Area business from. I can make a call for you."

I felt a sudden rush of hope spring up. "Do you really think it will help? When do you think I can see him?"

"Give me a minute and let me call his second and see when I can get you an appointment with him." Sam looked up a phone number in his battered old notebook he keeps in his desk. "It's Sam Merlotte calling for Pam. Is she available?" He looked at me and said "On hold." He tapped a steady against his desk with the tip of a pen. He seemed a little agitated. "Pam, it's Sam Merlotte from Bon Temps. I need a favor. One of my employees needs an appointment with the Sheriff. When would be the earliest she could see him?"

I sat on the edge of my seat as Sam went back and forth with the Sheriff's second, as Sam called her. Their negotiations didn't really seems to be going well. Sam was trying to impress upon her the seriousness of my business, and she kept offering him dates weeks in advance. They finally settled on a week from Tuesday, it seemed from listening to Sam's end of the conversation. It wasn't ideal, but beggars couldn't be choosers. I would take what I could get at this point. Sam was giving her my name when she put him on hold suddenly. He shrugged at me and we waited for her to come back. Whatever she said to Sam when she came back on surprised him.

"Apparently the Sheriff had a last minute opening some up in his schedule, cher. If you don't mind going in late, he can see you at 1:00 tonight. Otherwise the other appointment will stand." Sam looked even more perturbed.

"Tonight? But I'm working!" I was scheduled to close tonight, which was 1:30. Shreveport was almost an hour away. I'd need to leave Merlotte's now if I was going to make it there by 1:00, especially if I wanted to go home and shower and change first. You can't show up to see a vampire Sheriff in a waitress uniform that smells like beer and fries, I guess.

"I think this is more important than finishing your shift. I'll get Terry to stay late to help cover. We'll be fine." He hesitated now, his mouth opening and snapping shut quickly. He had something to say but it seemed like it was a struggle to get it out. "Be careful in Shreveport, Sookie. When you get to Fangtasia, go straight to the door, skip any line and ask for Pam. She will bring you to the Sheriff. Just be careful and don't speak to any other vamps when you're there, OK?"

"What kind of place is Fangtasia, Sam? And don't worry, I will be careful." I would do whatever I had to in order to free myself of Bill Compton.

"It's a vampire bar the Sheriff runs, but it's not so much for vampires as it is for tourists who want to look at vampires. You will be perfectly safe there, as long as you stick with the Pam or the Sheriff. I wouldn't let you go if I thought it was dangerous." He paused here and looked at me strangely. "Just remember why you are there, cher. You don't want to go trading one vampire problem for another. Nothing is ever as good as it looks, cher." With that vague piece of advice, Sam gave me the directions to Fangtasia and hustled me out the door.

I got home as fast as I could and mentally scanned my property before I got out of the safety of my car. I didn't sense a thing close, although there was something with a vampire brain on the far end of the property. I took the chance and ran as fast as I could to the house, slamming the door and locking it behind me. I had forty five minutes to get ready and be on the road if I was going to make my appointment on time. I had to hurry, but I'd make it. At least I'd shaved my legs when I showered earlier, I thought. That would save me time.

It did take me a few minutes to decide what to wear. What does one wear to a vampire bar to meet with a vampire Sheriff? I was sure I had nothing that would fit in, so I decided to go for something to keep me calm instead, reaching for my white sundress with the small red flowers scattered everywhere. Not exactly vampire approved, I'm sure, but it was me. Thirty five minutes later I was sliding my heels on, grabbing my purse, and was out the door.

Fangtasia, here I come.


	8. Fairy Princes and Vampires Queens

_Thanks so much for all the kind words you have left about this story. I love you all._

_Some of you might recognize arts of Sookie's dream sequence. Some of the dialogue used is straight from Charlaine Harris. I claim no ownership of her fabulous words, I just like to play with Eric._

_Hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think so far. There are so many of you reading this story, it shocks me. I'd love to know if you love it, hate it, or are fed up with my rambling and undoubted mistakes!_

* * *

><p><strong>Eric's POV<strong>

"Eric, I met with Alcide Herveaux earlier tonight. He was able to shed some very interesting light on the Fae situation at the your girl's house."

I spun around to face Pam, one eyebrow arched in query. "The Were knows of the situation?" I had asked Pam to look into some of the Supe records for Area Five. Many supernatural groups kept close tabs on other supe movements in their territories and I had a hunch their records would turn up the information we needed.

"It took him long enough, but he finally got back to me. The Long Tooth Pack are quite diligent record keepers. Herveaux asked me to relay his apologies for the delay, but I think his information was worth the wait. He told me some of the earliest records they have, dating back over a hundred years, all document Fae comings and goings. According to their records, which he said he will have copied and provided to you as soon as possible, the Fae have been in and out of that area regularly for decades."

"Is that all they have? That doesn't exactly help, Pam. We already knew there were Fae in the vicinity." I frowned at the thought. Fae complications I could do without, but I had a strong suspicion I wasn't going to avoid this.

"No, Eric. There's more. It seems the Fae Royals might have some interest in your girl, or her family, at least."

"What the fuck? The Royals? As in Brigant, or some of the lesser royals?" The one true Prince of Fae was a sketchy bastard, in my mind. Niall Brigant might very well be the best ruler the Fae have seen in generations, but his dealings in this realm were underhanded and shady, to put it mildly. I've dealt with him many times over the last few hundred years. Our relationship was good, I thought, which might bode well for future negotiations. What interest did he have in Sookie?

"The Brigant clan, he tells me. Niall's son Fintan, the half breed, was recorded coming and going from the Stackhouse residence frequently five decades ago. Niall himself was recorded as being in the area just last month. And according to Alcide, one of the Crane triplets, Claudine he believes, has been seen there with increasing frequency in the last year."

Hell. That was what my life was becoming. Pure hell. Why couldn't things be easy, just this once? I'd saved the girl's life - wasn't that enough?

"Fifty years ago Fintan frequented the place, and now Niall and the Crane fairy. What could their interest be? You say Fintan was actually visiting the residence, not just the property? Anything else?"

"Alcide believes Fintan must have known your Sookie's grandmother as their records suggest Fintan visited often for a few years, then sporadically through the years. And there was one other visitor to the Stackhouse property you might be very interested in. It seems Desmond Cataliades was a visitor to the farmhouse a couple of times."

"Cataliades? What would he be doing there?" The half demon was a highly respected supe lawyer, one I had on retainer myself. To my knowledge he didn't spend much time with humans, let alone visit one in the boonies.

"Unknown, but perhaps you should just ask him. He'll never tell you, but his reaction to the question could be informative. It's doubtful he was serving a human family in an official capacity, though, so you might just get lucky. He may have information you need."

"Make an appointment with him, say whatever you have to say, but get me the earliest appointment available." My relationship with Cataliades was good, or as good as a relationship with a lawyer can be. He wouldn't volunteer any information, but I can read between the lines pretty well. I've been doing it for a thousand years. "Anything else come up with your investigation?"

"Yes." Pam's pale blue eyes met mine and held them for a long moment. She shifted in her seat, as close to fidgeting as any vampire could be. This couldn't be good news. "First, Herveaux says all you need to do is say the word and he'll send a couple of his trackers to that area full time."

"I'll call him later. Any information we can get our hands on will help. We're going to have to proceed very carefully if Brigant is involved. We have a decent relationship, but if we interfere with whatever he's doing, there would still be trouble." I would have to tread carefully, until I knew his interest. Any sign of war with the Fae would have lasting political repercussions. I've worked hard to get to the position I hold, one that affords me some security and respect within our power structure. To lose the position would put myself, Pam and all those who owe me fealty in jeopardy. "Was there anything else?"

"I was checking up on Billy boy earlier tonight, and I've finally pieced it together, Eric. He's here at the Queen's behest as a procurer."

"What in the world is valuable enough in Bon Temps to hold Sophie-Ann's interest?" Our Queen was well known as a collector of unusual and valuable objects, inanimate and animate. She had a one track mind when it came to her acquisitions and kept at least half a dozen procurers on her staff at all times. Bill Compton was one of them.

"It seems the Queen has her sights set on your Sookie, Eric." It didn't escape my notice that Pam referred to her as mine. Her expression of pity was one I could do without, though.

"What the hell does Sophie-Ann want with the girl?" Pam's news was unwelcome, to say the least. This girl is already more trouble than she's worth. If I have to battle my Queen over her, it wouldn't be good for either of us. Every vampire in the country would want to know what was special enough about the human to go to war over. I would never have a moment's peace again.

"It was impossible to tell from the conversation. Compton told her the girl was proving to be troublesome than he's imagined, but he felt confident he would deliver her to the palace for Saturday." She shook her head with disgust. "I knew he was nothing but a snake."

When Bill Compton had failed to check in with me as protocol demanded he do, I sent Pam to investigate what he was doing in my area unannounced. I would have gone myself, but considering the proximity to her house, I choose to delegate the task instead. I still hadn't come to any conclusions what I was going to do about her and didn't feel like tempting fate myself. Pam chose the right moment to show up at his house the first time, and had overheard him speaking with Sophie Ann LeClerq, the fucking Queen of Louisiana. Their conversation didn't shed any light on his true purpose in Bon Temps, but it did confirm our suspicions he was up to no good. Pam had been eavesdropping outside his house regularly for the last three weeks, and tonight, we'd finally hit paydirt.

"What are you going to do, Eric?" Pam regarded me steadily, keeping her tone soft and even. She was made of steel and could spit nails, but my child could also be unexpectedly tender when it came to me. She had been my lifeline these last three weeks as I struggled with my warring instincts towards the girl. Sookie. I think Pam realized the depths of my interests and desires faster than I did. She was worried for me. I could see it in her face, I saw it in the looks she gave me when she thought I wasn't looking. Her advice was to go to the girl and make her mine. She reasoned I'd won her when I'd saved her. I don't know if I'd call it winning, but I understood her point. Every damned night it was a fight to keep myself from flying straight to her when I woke.

I drove my hands through my hair and gripped tight as I examined my options. I could kill Compton, but that wouldn't stop Sophie-Ann. I don't know why she went behind my back with this mission, but if she wanted Sookie, it couldn't be good. I could hide the girl, but to what end? I couldn't keep her hidden forever, as much as I might want to. I could claim her as my own, but if Sophie-Ann was determined enough to take her, my claim would be declared invalid. Perks of being royalty. Only bonded and pledged humans were safe from royal encroachment. I had an unusually strong bond with her already, but it still wouldn't be enough. Fuck! I thought I'd have longer to decide the best course of action with Sookie. This time, I might have been just in time, but the girl was going to continue to cost me, I just hadn't figured out how much. Would she cost me my life, this time?

"What the fuck can I do, Pam? You know as well as I how Sophie-Ann is. If she's made up her mind she wants the girl, she's not going to just fucking give up! The best we can do now is buy some time. We're going to have to take Compton immediately. If her gopher goes missing it will take some time for her to send a replacement." Pam's eyes lit up at the mention of taking the slimy vampire, but I had to rein her in. We couldn't kill him yet. "Keep him alive, Pam. We might need him later, but he's given us good reason to hold him, at least for now. He's been in my Area unannounced for at least three weeks. Is Bubba still watching the Stackhouse property? Good. Call and ask him to watch for Compton. Let us know when he shows up. We may have to take him tonight."

"That's probably for the best." Pam nodded her head slowly, agreeing with my assessment. "It will give us a few days to work this situation to our advantage. Have you thought about warning your Sookie? If you plan on keeping her out of the Queen's hands you are going to need her to co-operate with you. She may have to leave Bon Temps until it's safe. Her house can't be adequately secured."

"If we take care of Compton tonight, she will be safe where she is for a few more days. I'm going to have to warn her, yes. It might be best if she comes here." Being alone with her in her house was almost too much for me last time. Better to keep it impersonal and businesslike in my office. "If need be we can put her in one of the safehouses later."

"The Queen doesn't know we're on to her, Eric, and she doesn't know your interest and involvement with the girl. Think about this. You only have a couple of options right now. Take the girl and hide her somewhere the Queen will never find, and never see her again, if you don't want involvement known to the Queen. Or you take the girl, claim her as your own and pray to your gods Sophie -Ann is in a good mood when she finds you beat her to the prize. You might get lucky and she will recognize your claim. That will depend on why she wants Sookie. But before either of those options are viable, you have to deal with the fairies. They may be a bigger threat."

I sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking over all she related. There was not just one threat to deal with, but potentially two, if you count the Fae as enemy, which I would do until it was proved otherwise. Better safe than sorry in this situation. I would not lose this time. But to warn the girl would necessitate seeing her, and I'm not sure that's a great idea. It's taken everything in me to avoid her for the last three weeks. If I break now, I might lose myself in her. I can't afford to do that.

"Or a potential ally, Pam." It would fucking kill me to owe Niall Brigant anything, but if he and his family were watching over Sookie, she was important to them, for some reason. Any interference by Sophie-Ann could have unforeseen consequences. "I don't know if I can claim her, Pam." My admission was quiet and low, but she heard me clearly. And I thought she understood what I didn't want to say out loud. "If I get any further involved with her, I don't know if I can control myself. Who the hell knows what might happen this time? I can't take the chance."

"You might be surprised, Eric. Go to her and tell her what is happening. Hell, tell her how you feel. She might surprise you. You did say she was attracted to you. Use it to your advantage for now. It might buy you the time you need." Pam clearly thought I was losing it over Sookie, but she was kind enough not to say it out loud. She's a very pragmatic and practical thinker. Straightest line to the best possible outcome. But there were no straight lines when it came to Sookie and any relationship between us. With the history I've endured with her, how could there be? I fought the sudden tremor that ran down my spine. I had to be sure of what I was doing. There would be no room for error.

"I can't. I just fucking can't, Pam. It might buy me time, but at what price? My life, or hers?" I spat at my child. I'd spent practically every waking minute of the last three weeks thinking of her, and what to do. I was no closer to a solution, and being around her wouldn't help me in the least. She would cloud my brain and poison my thoughts. How could I be expected to think straight around her?

"Oh, Eric." Pam looked at me, shaking her blonde head. "It won't be any easier to stay away from her. Go to her. Tell her everything. All of it. What could it hurt?"

What could it hurt? Me. "I don't think that's a great idea. First of all, she would think me insane if I tell her everything. Second, how do I know I can trust her? It's not like she's never tried to harm me in the past. Why do you think this one will be different?"

"Oh, for God's sakes! You, Eric. You make me think she's different. I've never seen you so worked up about a woman. Ever. If she were a danger, don't you think you'd know it? Did you want any of the others like this? Did you want any of the others at all?"

She was right, damn her. I have been worked up. And deep down, I knew what she was telling me was right. I didn't know anything about Sookie's character, but what I felt through the bond was warm, pulsing purity and lightness. I didn't think she was dangerous to anything other than my heart. And there was something so completely different about this one. She was different from the others, I know. But there was danger all around her, and I would do anything I had to in order to keep her safe.

"You know, Eric, this is not something I would suggest under any different circumstances. It may not be ideal, but if you really want to keep her safe, you might not have any other choice. You could exchange blood with her. At least you could track her that way, if need be."

I looked back at my child. She was the greatest triumph of my existence, the perfect vampire. But, as young as she is, bonds are not something she has much knowledge of. Hell, I'm almost a thousand years old, give or take a couple, and I knew very little about them until last week, when I'd finally given in and spoken with my maker about the practice. Godric was over 2000 years old, had shared blood bonds with several humans in his existence, and he still didn't know much more than I. He'd told me what he knew, but since I wasn't quite willing to fess up to what I'd done, I couldn't expect him to take my questions too seriously. I just couldn't broach the subject of her with him. She's been a wedge in my relationship with my maker for as long as I could remember. I didn't want to bring her up until I had a more concrete plan.

What Godric had told me confirmed my own suspicions, however. I shouldn't be feeling her as strongly as I am with only one blood exchange, especially since it was not a true mutual exchange. Godric's information suggested it would take at least two fully mutual exchanges to be able to sense her feelings so clearly. Pam's suggestion had been a valid one, but it was the one piece of information I'd held back from my progeny, as well as my maker. I'd spent hours dissecting my actions that night and was no where closer to coming up with an answer as to why I acted the way I did. If I couldn't explain to myself why I did it, how the hell could I explain it to them? Truth be told, this connection between us scared me to death. I'd never admit it to anyone else, but feeling her life humming along inside me only served to remind me how damned fragile and breakable she is, and it sent fear through my heart to think of this feeling being snuffed out. A further blood exchange might amp up this bond to levels I wouldn't be able to live with.

"I'd rather keep that as a last resort. We''l do this through diplomatic channels, if we can. Find out what the Queen's real interest is. If we take Compton tonight, we can casually notify the palace that we have him in custody. Sophie-Ann will be forced to contact me then. Perhaps she will be willing to reveal some of her plans if we have her procurer locked up." Sophie-Ann was as cunning as a rat when it came to politics, but her judgement was cloudy at best in other areas. It's entirely possible she sent Compton here on a complete whim, to satisfy some perverse curiosity of hers. Normally I wouldn't giving a flying fuck what our monarch was up to, but this was my business now. Everything to do with the Stackhouse woman was my business. "In the meantime, I will start making some preliminary inquiries with the Fae channels. Niall has never refused to meet with me before, I should be able to arrange something."

"I will make some calls and set a plan to trap our dear Billy boy with as soon as I've fed." Pam stopped and stared at me steadily, her chin raised just a little in defiance. "Shall I arrange for your dinner, as well, Master, or will you once again be dining on that synthetic shit?"

I had been alternating between keeping Pam disgusted and amused with my abrupt change in feeding habits the last few weeks. Nothing has felt right, or satisfying since I tasted her - and that had only been a few damned licks on her wounds. I'd fucked and fed on a few the first week or so, and even though it was nowhere near as satisfying as normal, I managed it. The second week I'd refused a couple of the girls Pam brought me, but fed from a couple of others. I couldn't bring myself to fuck any of them, though, which thoroughly pissed me off. In desperation, I'd instructed Pam to fetch a couple of busty blondes, hoping to close my eyes long enough to imagine they were her. I'd thrown the first one out the door when she immediately sank to her knees to blow me. It didn't seem like something Sookie would do and my fantasy was ruined. I'm a little ashamed to say I took my frustration out on the other and bit her more savagely than my norm. Her blood was bland and insipid in comparison to what I remembered of Sookie's and I drank deeper and deeper, trying to find the satisfaction that always came from feeding. It never came, and neither did I. Sex and feeding were very closely tied for vampires. Sure, we could do it separately, but when both are right in front of you, being offered up in very attractive packages, most vampires would have no problem taking both. So why couldn't I? I could lay the blame for my troubles directly at her door. Pam couldn't understand my sudden aversion for fangbangers any better than she understood why I was avoiding the source of my problems.

"I have to go out for a bit, Pam. I will feed while I am gone." Pam smirked at me just the tiniest bit. She knew I was evading the question, but she couldn't continue to question me, either. We'd finally obtained an address for the Rattray couple Sookie had identified as drainers. I suspected they were the parties responsible for the violent beating Sookie had received that fateful night. Normally I'd send Pam, but this felt too personal and I could use an outlet for my frustrations right about now. "Anything on the docket for tonight?" As Sheriff of Area 5 I was regularly called upon to mediate disputes between other vampires, and to act as judge, jury or executioner in more serious cases. My area was generally trouble free, with only minor skirmishes of late.

"Nothing tonight, Eric."

"OK, then I should be back my 12:30 or so. I will expect an update on Compton when I return."

* * *

><p><strong>Sookie's POV<strong>

My drive to Shreveport gave me some much needed time to calm my nerves and think things over before my meeting with the Sheriff. I don't know what Bill Compton wanted with me, but I wasn't going to take it anymore. No way. If the vampire Sheriff didn't help me - really, would he take the word of a human over a vampire? - then I would go to Bud Dearborn and see what he could do. I laughed as the image of Bud Dearborn with fangs jumped into my mind again. I wasn't just going to lie down while some vampire tried to mess with my life.

About a half hour outside of Shreveport, though, the bond with my vampire began to thump in anger. I had been feeling tension, stress and bits of anger all evening. Where ever Eric was, he wasn't having a good night. Rage and fury were tearing through me suddenly, ripping through my insides, pulsing and radiating inside me like a separate, vengeful being. I had to pull the car to the shoulder of the road before I lost control and crashed. Safely stopped, I gripped the steering wheel as tight as I could and held on, trying to build up strong enough shields to block him. I was finding it hard to do - what was coming through the bond was so intense, I was having trouble disconnecting from it. Just when I thought my head would explode, it relaxed a little, morphing into a curiously odd mixture of vengeance, satisfaction and hunger. I tried hard not to think about what it all meant as I managed to pull my shields together. I could still feel him, but it was far more muted, more of a whisper now than a trumpet blast in my skull.

I got myself pulled together enough to drive and continued my drive to Fangtasia. I know he's a vampire and all, but geez! This magic blood bond thing was showing me his nature in ways I wasn't really prepared for. It scared the hell out of me, to be honest. But if I'm being really honest, feeling him like that did more to me than just scare me. Some part of me liked to feel his wilder side. My nerves were jangling like crazy and my heart was beating a mile a minute when I finally pulled into the parking lot at the side of the building, a strip mall in the commercial area. The bond had become quite calm, with only small pulses of curiosity and concern coming through clearly. He still felt conflicted, but it had toned down to manageable levels. I sat in the car for a few minutes doing deep breathing exercises to calm myself before I went in. I don't know a whole lot about vamps, but I'm betting it wasn't a good idea to go in with my blood pumping so hard.

I entertained myself for a few minutes by watching the long line of people still awaiting admittance to Fangtasia. I sure wasn't going to fit in here, if these customers were any indication. Everyone was in black and red, leather and latex and silk and satin. My little white cotton sundress wasn't on the same level. At least I had a bit of red, I thought, glancing at the flowers scattered across my dress. Oh, and my shoes. I shook my head and listened to the thoughts coming from the crowd. It would have been funny if it weren't so pathetic. All anyone was thinking about was sex. I could understand the desire, absolutely, but these people were just desperate. Any vampire would do, but many were thinking about one they called the master. It seems everyone wanted a piece of him. I wonder if he's the Sheriff I've come to see?

I spare a glance at my watch. 12:45. Almost time. My appointment was for 1:00, and with Sam's warning in mind, I didn't intend on spending anymore time here than necessary. I had a few minutes to spare and my thoughts automatically turned to where they always did lately. My vampire. Eric. I realized at that moment that the blood bond between us was fairly humming now, sparking in that strange the way it did the last time I saw him. I could feel him almost all the time, but it suddenly seemed alive in a different way. Oh, my God. Was he here? This is a vampire bar, after all. Could he really be here? My heart leapt in my throat, but I ignored the feeling, as well as the thousand butterflies doing the can-can in my stomach. I opened the door and stepped out of the car, my feet leading me towards the front entrance. All Sam's cautionary words flew out the window as thoughts of the gorgeous blonde vampire danced through my head. I walked to the front of the line, praying to God the small female vampire at the door was Pam.

"Hi. My name is Sookie Stackhouse. I have an appointment with the Sheriff for 1:00. You wouldn't be Pam, by any chance, would you?" She was petite, with long blonde hair flowing freely down her back. She was dressed in a filmy black dress that floated about her legs like cotton candy. She was beautiful, intimidatingly so, with her perfect appearance. Flawless make-up, not a hair out of place. I felt like a poor country cousin.

"Well, well. Sookie Stackhouse." The small female vampire circled me, her critical eyes raking my form before taking in my face. She wore an odd expression on her pale face, a look I couldn't decipher. As with Eric and Bill Compton, her thoughts were hidden from me. I guess that tells the tale. I can't read vampires. "Interesting. Very interesting, Miss Sookie Stackhouse. You'll do." And with that she leaned in and sniffed deeply of the air around me. She gave me a startled look before turning and walking to the entrance, leaving me standing there gaping at her. I'll do for what? Was I supposed to follow?

"What are you waiting for? Come. Time is of the essence, Sookie Stackhouse." Pam - I guess she's Pam, she never did answer me - impatiently motioned for me to follow her. She stopped abruptly in front of the inside door to the bar. She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes taking in every inch of my appearance, before waving me through the door she held open. "I will bring you directly to the Sheriff in a moment, but I think we should stop by the bar to fetch a drink first."

"Oh, well thank you, but I don't need a drink. I'd rather just go on into the meeting, if he's ready for me." I could really use a drink, but it wasn't a good idea.

Pam laughed then, an unexpectedly tinkling sound with a dash of dark humor thrown in. She lead me inside to the bar. "Oh, you are refreshing! The drink is for the Sheriff. I have a feeling he'll need some dinner when he gets a good look at you in that dress." She ignored the look of surprise on my face and tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the bar while she waited for the blood she'd ordered to be heated. "Come. Let's get you in there before it's too late." She shoved the bottle of True Blood into my hands. "Be careful, Sookie Stackhouse. We wouldn't want there to be any blood spilled tonight." I wasn't so sure whether she was still talking about the True Blood.

I took a moment to scan around the bar as she was walking me towards the hallway at the back of the bar. It was really quite kitschy in here, but it worked, in a weird way. It was dark inside, the grey and red walls lending an ominous ambiance. The walls were covered with posters of famous movie vampires from history, while the remaining wall space was taken up with warning signs. No biting on the premises! I gulped a little at that one. I stretched as tall as I could, searching the crowd for a familiar blonde head. I thought I could feel him close, but my vampire - Eric - wasn't here. His height and build would make him impossible to miss. I fought the feeling of sadness that threatened to overwhelm me. It only took a moment to reach the door Pam was now opening.

"Take a seat. The Sheriff will be with you shortly."

I looked at her with some surprise, my eyes wide. "You aren't joining us?" It was kind of nerve-wracking to think of being left alone with a strange vampire, Sheriff or not. Eric's warnings about vampires came back to haunt me. Was this a good idea?

"Oh, I think this is a meeting the Sheriff would rather handle privately." She barked out a short, humorless laugh. "Don't worry, Sookie Stackhouse. There's no safer place on earth for you than right here."

I walked slowly and cautiously into the empty office, taking in everything around me. The office was smallish, neat and tidy. A large leather office chair sat behind a sturdy wooden desk. Shelving units held boxes, binders and stacks of T-shirts, Fangtasia merchandise, I guessed. A filing cabinet, two matching chairs and a leather couch were the only other furnishings. The walls were decorated with several promotional posters for what appeared to be special events Fangtasia had hosted in the past. It told me absolutely nothing about the man, the vampire, I was about to meet. I cautiously took a seat on the leather couch, mindful of the warm bottle of blood in my hands. I was nervous, perhaps as nervous as I had ever been in my life. I could hear a shower running somewhere close by.

I waited for five minutes, then ten. My mind started to drift, lulled by the sound of the shower, and the warm feeling flowing through the bond with my vampire. He had to be close, I could feel it in my bones. Maybe the Sheriff knew Eric, I thought. He might even be able to tell me where to find him. It couldn't be far. He never felt closer. My eyes drifted closed, the stress of the day had taken a toll on me. I wished I was home, safely tucked into bed. Maybe he would visit my dreams again soon. I missed him terribly. Memories of one of my favorite dreams drifted through my mind as I waited. This particular dream had come to me over and over through the years. It was a go to moment for me when I needed a little pick me up, so to speak.

_I was enjoying the warmth and relaxation of the hot water pounding on me in the shower. I shampooed my hair before I groped for the soap._

_"I ll do that for you," my vampire said, pulling back the curtain to step into the shower with me._

_I gasped, just short of a shriek. He was also in the mood, the same mood I was in. You could really, really tell, with my vampire. His fangs were out some, too. I was embarrassed, horrified, and absolutely ready to jump him. While I stood stock-still, paralyzed by conflicting waves of emotion, he took the soap out of my hands and lathered up his own, set the soap back in its little niche, and washed my arms, raising each in turn to stroke my armpit, down over my side, never touching my breasts, which were practically quivering like puppies who wanted to be petted._

"_Have we ever made love?" he asked._

_I shook my head, still unable to speak. This was almost too much for my virgin sensibilities._

_"Then I am a fool", he said, moving one hand in a circular motion over my stomach which tightened almost painfully in response. "Turn around, lover"._

_I turned my back to him, and he began to work on that. His fingers were very strong and very clever, and I had the most relaxed and cleanest set of shoulder blades in Louisiana by the time he finished. My shoulder blades were the only thing at ease. My libido was hopping up and down. This was my beautiful vampire, who desired me, who was hungry for me, in a world that often let me know it could do very well without me. My mind was about to switch off and my body was about to take over. I could feel part of him pressed against my back, and he wasn't standing that close. Yikes. Yahoo. Yum._

My mind was just taking me to my favorite part when I heard a door closing nearby. Must be the Sheriff. I sat up a little straighter, trying to still my now elevated heartbeat. That dream always got my heart pumping faster. I smoothed my skirt over my knees and quickly tucked my hair back behind my ear. I was an emotional wreck, and my little daydream didn't exactly calm me. With my lack of vampire dreams lately, I'd been a little on edge and far too easily aroused. I felt the dampness in my panties as I sat in the Vampire Sheriff of Area Five's office. Way to go, Sookie, I reprimanded myself. Way to go.

The door on the far side of the office opened suddenly, and the room filled with the most tantalizing scent of masculinity as steam billowed from the opened door. I stood to my feet to greet the Sheriff properly. Ten seconds later, he was in the doorway, toweling his hair vigorously. The towel partially obscured his face, but his face was the least of my worries right now.

The Sheriff stood in the doorway to the bathroom, his tall, muscled frame perfectly back-lit from the bathroom light. He was tall, at least 6'5", as tall as Eric. His shoulders were broad, leading down to a muscular, sculpted chest that was covered in a light dusting of fine golden hairs. His pectoral muscles were well-defined, and danced appealingly as he continued to towel dry his hair. Water droplets were sliding down his carved chest, slipping down his taut, slim belly, his six pack abs making the sparkling drops scatter in mesmerizing patterns as they made the final descent down the treasure trail to his... Sookie! Stop it! My face was suddenly flaming as I jerked my face upwards. That really didn't help. No, not at all.

The Vampire Sheriff of Area Five was standing before me in all his naked glory, wearing nothing but the towel now draped across his impossibly wide shoulders. My brain was still playing catch-up, sure, but I knew one thing was true. This Sheriff was my vampire lover, my Eric, and he was standing in front of me, dripping wet, looking for all the world like he'd just stepped straight out of my dream.

And I wanted him as badly as I did in my dreams. Arousal flooded through my frame, soaking my already damp panties. I took an involuntary step towards him before stopping dead in my tracks. The bond had flared to life again, and I was immediately inundated with a wash of surprise, frustration, confusion and regret. My eyes widened as I took in the look on his face. He didn't look like he was pleased to find me in his office, but the jolt of lust and desire he was sending out belied his cold expression. I dropped my eyes from him, only to let them fall directly to his very, very gracious plenty. At least some parts of him were happy to see me. A low growl started emanating from him, snapping me out of the daze I was in. I was completely mortified to have been caught staring at his assets. A fresh wave of blood flew to my already flaming cheeks. I swallowed hard as he stared at me and threw the towel across the room. Totally naked now, and oh, Holy God, was he impressive.

Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea. There was only so much a girl could take. I wanted to jump straight into his arms. I wanted to make love with him. I wanted to claim him and make him mine. All of these thoughts swirled in wild circles in my head as I continued to stare him down. I stammered a little bit before I blurted out the stupidest thing I probably could have thought of.

"Pam thought you might be hungry. I've brought your dinner."

* * *

><p><em>I'd love to know what you're thinking! Is this story making any sense so far? These chapters have been kind of set up, but there's a lot more action coming up, as well as some hot vampire lovin'!<em>


	9. I've got you now

_A great big thank you to everyone reading this story, and especially to all of you who've taken the time to leave a review. I am humbled beyond expression. You all want to make me write all day long!_

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

She stood there in my office, looking every inch the innocent, yet seductive, goddess. Every thought flew from my head as I took her in, and I felt my control deserting me until all I was left with was my most primal desires. I wanted to bite her, and fuck her and rub myself all over her. Lust hammered my senses as she took a small step towards me, her skirt swirling around her shapely thighs when she stopped suddenly. The scent of her arousal hit me mere seconds later, inflaming my senses even further. My cock, already at half mast due to my fantasies of this very woman during my shower, twitched uncomfortably hard when the object of all my desires lowered her eyes to take in my obvious desire. I could feel a growl starting deep in my chest as I fought my instincts to push her onto the couch behind her and fuck her until I couldn't think anymore. The flush staining her cheeks only elevated my rampant urges, filling the room with her delectable scent as her blood pumped rapidly just below the surface of her delicate skin.

She was making this so hard - fuck, she was making me so fucking hard - standing there looking as infinitely fuckable as she did. Her golden hair was pushed up and away from her face, held back by a thin red band, leaving the smooth, long column of her neck exposed and appealing. I had thought she was sexy in her old Bon Temps T-shirt and bikini, but that was nothing but an appetizer for this main dish. She was exquisite in her virginally seductive white dress with it's splotches of scattered red flowers. I tried to fight the lust swirling through me, but I could feel answering waves of desire coming through the bond I had with this wondrous creature. I could smell the truth wafting through the room. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her. Why deny myself? I slowly dragged the towel wrapped around my neck off me and flung it as far as I could in the other direction. Still naked from my shower, I wondered how fast I could get her in a matching position. Then again, maybe I'll fuck her in that dress first. I took a step in her direction and she rapidly took a step backwards. I didn't know what to expect from her, but the first words out of her mouth struck at my core.

"Pam thought you might be hungry. I've brought your dinner."

I was in front of her in vampire speed, my body reacting instinctively to the perceived offer. One hand slid up behind her smooth throat to rest along the back of her neck while the other wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her close to my body. I lowered my head to her neck, burying my face in the smooth expanse where her neck blended into her silky shoulders. My head swam in this proximity to her scent and my tongue flickered out to taste her, my lips suckling lightly at the pulse point that beckoned to me. I was vaguely aware of the way our blood bond was pulsing, throbbing with life, but I couldn't think past the desire and need I was feeling from her, swirling around and teasing my own desires. It came as a bit of a surprise to me when I realized she was struggling a bit in my embrace. Reality crashed down on me like a bucket of icy water in the face.

What the hell was wrong with me? I've spent the last three bloody weeks avoiding her, trying to convince myself to walk away and where has it gotten me? Absolutely fucking nowhere. The first time I lay an eye on her and thirty seconds later I'm trying to hump her like a goddamned teenager. What the hell was she even doing here? If this is Pam's doing, my child will feel my wrath. I don't need this complication in my life. I don't fucking want it. I feel a little of my famed control come back to me about the same time I realized I still held her in my arms. I groaned internally. What was wrong with me? Was I doomed to spend my entire existence being tormented by this she-devil? A coldness descended over me as I felt my composure return. I would deal with her and send her on her way. I don't want her. I certainly don't need her. I grasped her by the upper arms and set her back from me rapidly. I needed the distance between us. Why I thought I would get what I need is beyond me at this point, but I certainly didn't deserve the chain reaction of events I inadvertently caused.

I had grossly underestimated the distance the infuriating girl was from the leather couch she had obviously risen from when I entered the room. All I'd cared about was putting some distance between us and may have used a little more force than was technically necessary. She fell backward onto the couch, falling hard on what I remembered to be a very firm, very round backside. The shock of her unexpected tumble caused her to fling her arms in my direction, scrabbling for traction against her fall. One hand grasped onto my hip, digging in as if her very life depended on it, the force of her grip causing me to stumble towards her even further. Her other arm shot forward with just as much force, her fingers losing their grip on the bottle of blood I belatedly realized she was holding. The bottle flew into me, crashing against the muscles of my abdomen, the open bottle spilling it's thick red liquid down over my body, splashing over her at the same time, large red drops mingling amongst the flowers on her dress. She yelped as the blood went flying, drops falling everywhere. She struggled quickly into a sitting position, but trust me when I say this didn't help matters any. She was quite suddenly in a position I know I will never, ever forget.

Sookie Stackhouse, the bane of my existence, sat on the couch in front of me, a scant foot of space between us, if that. Blood dripped down my body, slithering in rivulets down my belly, snaking through the blond curls at the base of my cock. My still erect penis, covered in blood, bobbed and waved in front of me. A single drop of blood traced it's way slowly down Sookie's astonished face, just inches from my throbbing penis.

No, this is one that I will never, ever forget.

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

What the hell just happened? One minute ago - I will swear on every bible you can find - just one minute ago I was nervously waiting for the Vampire Sheriff of Area Five to arrive for our meeting. He arrived, all right - all 6'5" inches of vampire sexiness, displaying swoon-worthy muscles, glistening wet, and naked. Very naked and very wet. Oh, God, just one minute ago. And this wasn't any vampire. Oh, no. This was my vampire dream lover, this was Eric. My Eric. I swallowed hard, my throat and mouth suddenly dry as the Sahara. Just one minute later, and I'm finding myself in a position I was guessing a whole heaping ton of women would give their right arm for. I'm face to face with the object of many of my dreams, my lovers very gracious plenty. Eric's glorious penis, hugely erect and twitching just a little, was inches from my face, dripping in blood. I felt every fiber of my being tighten in response to the graphic image burning itself into my mind. It was beautiful, even soaked in blood as it was, as impressive and intimidating as it was in my dreams. I swayed a little, lost in the moment, my body slowly closing the gap between us.

Oh, shit! Sookie! Stop! Stop! Stop!

My brain was screaming at me, begging me to obey, but it took another second to pull myself out of my Eric induced trance. I shot upwards out of my seat in a flash, only to find myself wrapped tightly in his grasp again, his arms wrapping around me as I rose. My body was throbbing in need, humming and pulsing in time with the blood magic that tied me to him. Our need and desires ricocheted off each other, his need amplifying my own. I'd like to blame the bond for my actions, but if I'm going to stay truthful, it was my need alone that caused me to pull myself up his body, my legs wrapping themselves around his waist. He groaned, a sound I actually felt in my core as his lips found mine, his tongue immediately seeking entrance to my mouth. I moaned in response, letting my lips part under his insistent tongue. I could feel his erection pressing just under me and I ground myself downward, twisting my hips as his tongue twisted around mine. This felt so right. The contrast of my overheated flesh against his cool, wet skin was the most erotic sensation I've ever felt. One of his arms slid around my waist, holding me more firmly against him, as I felt the chill from his other hand trace patterns of fire and ice up and down my thigh as he stroked me, sliding ever closer to the place I wanted him most. His lips and tongue were doing wonderful things to my mouth, drowning me in sensation until I literally had to pull myself away to gasp in a lungful of much needed oxygen. He pulled back a little when our mouths separated, and I opened my eyes to find myself lost in his intense blue gaze. His eyes were fairly glowing with need and passion, but there was a moment where I could have stopped. The question was there in his face. I closed the distance between us slowly, my lips claiming his in response to his unasked question. I don't know if I could stop. I was lost to him and I didn't want to ever be found. It all came crashing down as Pam's voice filled the room.

"Now, Sookie Stackhouse, really." A tsk, tsk, tsk sound came from her. "What did I tell you about spilling blood here tonight? You've gone and made quite a mess of my master." Her tone was completely droll, bored and humorless, but her deadpan delivery was ruined by the delighted expression she wore upon her face as I opened my eyes to see her in the now open doorway to Eric's office. "Although, you are making an admirable effort to clean him off with your dress. That should count for something, I suppose."

I wanted to curl myself into Eric and simply die of embarrassment, but I thought it might even be more embarrassing to do that. I was suddenly realizing just how compromising a position I was in here, wrapped around a very naked, very aroused vampire who was now tensing his impressive frame and growling, deep scary growls, at his second in command. If I had enough sense, I would have been terrified by the primal expression on his face. If I had a lick of sense at all, I would have been petrified by the possessiveness crashing in ever increasing waves through our bond. But it thrilled me. It thrilled me to the very core of my being. At that moment, I was feeling the same thing. He was mine.

As much as I wanted to stay just where I was, I struggled a little against Eric's arm. He was gripping me to him in a death grasp, and showed no signs of wanting to let me go. He was still growling a little bit, but I could see the focus slowly come back to his eyes. He shook himself slightly, and glanced down at me in his arms. It was weird, like he was almost surprised to see me there. So many feeling were swirling in the bond, I couldn't even begin to get a grip on what he was feeling. He just stared at me for the longest time, almost regretfully. Well, I didn't regret it, and I woldn't let him regret it either.

"Sorry to interrupt such a tender moment, but I need to speak with you, Master." Her face was much more serious now. She continued to speak, but switched from English to something else. "Bubba anropas. Bill Compton är på väg hit."

I stiffened in shock. I reared back in Eric's arms, pushing against his chest with all my might. His arms loosened and I dropped to my feet. I would have stumbled and fallen if Eric hadn't grabbed hold of my elbow. As soon as I was steady on my feet, he dropped his hold and strode across his office to a small closet in the corner. He pulled a pair of faded jeans out and pulled them on in one swift movement, ignoring the blood still covering him. Bill Compton was on his way here. Just great. This day was already one of the longest and most confusing of my entire life and I had a feeling it was about to get worse. It already was worse. Eric seemed to be ignoring the fact I was in the room.

"Se upp för honom. Du vet vad du ska göra om du ser honom." You know what to do? What was that supposed to mean? What was Pam supposed to do if she saw Bill Compton? Did this have anything to do with me being here? Did he have a right to face his accuser or something?

"Jag kommer att hålla honom i källaren tills du finns. Oroa dig inte. Vi kommer att ta reda på varför han vill Sookie." Pam's response was even stranger. This was about me. And then it really hit me. I was totally understanding what they were saying, even though it wasn't English. I don't know why I wasn't more shocked, but it made sense, all of a sudden. My vampire had spent many nights teaching me his languages in my dreams. I had never really paid it any attention before, I didn't really think it was real. But I am understanding them fine, no problems. I jerked my head towards Eric, waiting for his response. This was weird, but fascinating. Pam had clearly switched to whatever they were speaking so I wouldn't know what they were saying, but I did. Thanks to Eric - or my dream Eric. I wasn't going to let them in on my secret just yet.

"Vad gör hon här, Pam? Har du gör detta? Jag sa ju att jag inte vill se henne." What the hell? What was I doing here? Did Pam do this? What did he mean, he didn't even want to see me? What was he saying? He might have been a stranger to me, but it didn't seem like he didn't want to see me a minute ago. What was going on here? I thought there was a whole lot more happening than I thought when I arrived here.

"Sam Merlotte called while you were out and asked for an appointment for her. He said she was having problems with a local vampire. I assumed it was Compton. She came here herself, Eric. I did nothing but make the appointment. That is my job." They were still speaking another language, but I understood it fine. Pam looked around the room, taking in the blood that covered Eric and I, as well as the floor and the couch. She laughed before continuing. "This wasn't what I meant when I said you should give her some blood, Eric." Were they still talking about me? Why would she tell him to give me blood?

"She's here now. I will deal with it. I need to talk with her anyway. And stop trying to be funny. You aren't helping." He'll deal with it? Huh? I was suddenly feeling kind of uncomfortable with this. As much as I wanted to know more, I had to get away for a minute and clear my head. My blood was still coursing through me like fire. I needed to clean up and get the drink I didn't think I needed before.

"I'll just go get cleaned up while you two continue to talk. I'm going to grab a drink, too, so if you don't mind, I'll be back in a few minutes." I grabbed my blood stained purse from the couch and made my way quickly to the door. Neither vampire said a word until I made it to the door when I heard Pam say, "He'll be here waiting, Sookie Stackhouse."

I found a bathroom just down the hall from his office, and quickly made my way in and closed the door behind me. What in the hell just happened? What were Pam and Eric talking about? I had to still my thoughts or my brain would surely overload. I turned the cold water on and carefully washed my face with the chilly water, washing away traces of the spilled True Blood and cooling my overheated flesh at the same time. I wiped off my purse as best I could and gratefully acknowledged that the red flowers on my dress camouflaged the worst of the blood stains on my dress. Satisfied that my appearance was about as good as it could be considering the circumstances, I made my way into the bar.

I weaved in and out of the crowd that packed the bar, and after a minute or two, I found myself waiting in the line at the long bar on to the side of Fangtasia. The two bartenders were working at a fast pace, but the place was blocked. This might take a few minutes, I thought to myself. I let down my shields a bit as I waited, scanning the bar. It was fairly amusing at first, just the usual thoughts of sex and drinks, except this time they were thinking of blood, not beer. So many of Fangtasia's patrons came here to be personal donors, it seemed. My amusement faded as I realized many of the were thinking of Eric. My Eric. I was decidedly unamused when I figured out many were not just thinking about him, but many were actively running their memories through their heads. How many of them are there? I wondered to myself as I slammed my shields back in place. I was still two deep in the line and I wasn't paying attention when the bartender tried to get my attention.

"Hey! Hey! Blondie! Take your drink, lady!" The bartender shoved a vodka and cranberry my way. I hadn't ordered it and said so. "It's for you blondie, from your friend."

I took the offered drink, glancing around the bar. I didn't see either one of them, but the drink must have been from Eric or Pam. Maneuvering my way back through the crowd, I found an empty table in the back and sat down. I needed a break for a minute before I went back in there. I sipped on my drink for a few minutes, thinking about what had happened in his office. I threw myself at him like a fangbanger. Just like I'd seen in all those girl's heads. I was embarrassed, but I didn't regret it one minute. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it weren't for what he said about not wanting to see me. I don't know what to make of that. I finished off my drink and placed my empty glass on the table. I should get back in there. I stood up, feeling very woozy and unsteady on my feet all of a sudden. That drink must have hit me harder than, I thought. I pushed through the crowd, trying to make it to the bathroom I'd visited earlier. My head was positively spinning now. I could feel my heart beating faster than normal and I was feeling flushed, heat was emanating from me, even in the relative cool of the bar. My knees started to go underneath me and just as I was about to sink to the floor of the bar, two strong arms grasped me up from my fall. I was swept up into cool arms and I heard a voice come to me as if from very far away.

"I've got you now."

The last thing I remember is feeling the air whoosh by me as I was carried from the bar.

* * *

><p>All Swedish translation was done with Google Translate. I hope they are right! No translation is really necessary here, as Sookie explains what they are saying.<p>

Sorry for the little bit of a cliff hanger there, but I promise the next chapter is coming very soon! Please let me know what you think!


	10. The Chosen One

_Thanks so much for all your kind words. Your reviews are the bright spots in my day! Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

"Well, she's a regular little firecracker, isn't she? She's almost fun to be around, for a breather." Both of us were still staring at the door she'd just flounced through. I groaned internally before shifting in my seat to relieve some of the pressure on my aching cock. I don't know for sure what would have happened if Pam hadn't walked in, but I'm pretty sure I'd be buried in her right now. I didn't know whether to be pissed or pleased my child interrupted when she did.

Pam gave a rueful shake of her head as she looked at me. It almost looked like fucking pity on her face. "I understand your problem better now, Eric. I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her for two minutes, if she were mine. Have you tasted her yet? I bet she's yummy."

There are times I seriously wish I'd cut out her damned tongue before I turned her. This was one of them. I was in no mood for her games. After near on two hundred years, I knew my child well enough to know when she was trying to goad me into taking the course of action she wanted. She was yanking my damned chain because she could. When she interrupted Sookie and I, the way I'd greeted her - the ridiculously possessive stance I'd assumed - sealed the deal for Pam. She would use that against me, guaranteed. It has been her opinion all along that I should do what she had just prevented - fuck her and claim her as my own. Now she would be insufferable with what she will call her "proof positive".

"Knock it off, Pam. We've more serious issues to deal with." I deliberately ignored her impertinence. "I'm going to shower. Wait here in case Sookie comes back. Then we will deal with Compton. I will talk to Sookie after he is secured." I grabbed some fresh clothes from my closet as I spoke to her. I paused when I got to the doorway of the bathroom, a thought occurring to me. "Did she come here to see me, Pam, or to see the Sheriff?"

"I don't think she knew you were the Sheriff, if that's what you are asking. She never referred to you by name."

I hurried through my shower, thinking over what Pam said. I purposefully avoided telling her more than my first name for a reason. The more I can keep her isolated from the violence of my life, from the vampire world, the better my chances of protecting her would be. I knew where to find her if I needed to. I didn't want her to be able to walk into my life as easily as I had walked into hers. Not until I knew all there was to know about her. Especially her fairy connection. Sophie-Ann didn't intimidate me. I was older and stronger than her. The only reason she was Queen is because I didn't want to be King. Her connection to the Fae could prove to be the biggest pain in my ass.

I dried off at vampire speed and slid into a pair of black jeans and hauled a black Fangtasia T-shirt over my head. As intoxicating as the encounter in my office was, I didn't need a repeat performance. The explosive chemistry between us was reason enough to avoid any more contact with her for now. She wasn't just another human. I had to remember that. Supernatural forces must be at work, it was the only way to explain her many reincarnations, the way she always came back into my life. I'd honestly wondered if I were going mad the first times, if perhaps my subconscious was simply playing tricks on me. Eventually I couldn't deny it anymore. And now here she is again, smack in the middle of my life, and trouble is following her at every fucking turn. She was a vixen, nearly irresistible, but I had to keep my head straight. Some part of me knew that once would never be enough with this one. I couldn't just lose myself in her.

A knock on the door shook me from my musings. Pam's voice called out, "Eric, I think you should come back in here."

I strode back into my office, fastening the buckle on my thick black leather belt. "What is it?"

"It is I, Northman. Please forgive my sudden intrusion. It couldn't be avoided. We have matters to discuss." My head snapped around in surprise. He was standing by the door, keeping a healthy distance between himself and Pam. It had been a long time since I'd physically seen him, but he was as distinguished and elegant as always. He had an air of other-worldliness about him that his tailored suit and mane of well-tended hair couldn't hide.

"Brigant. What can I do for you?" I was surprised to see him like this. He'd never just popped into my office before. I strongly suspected this related to Sookie, but I wasn't going to play my hand too early. There was no way he could know of our connection and I didn't plan on volunteering any information.

"Perhaps this is something we should talk about in private." He glanced at Pam. She rose an eyebrow in my direction. I gave a small shake of my head.

"My child is my confidant, Niall. Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of her. Unless you would prefer privacy?"

"You've recently become acquainted with a young woman by the name of Sookie Stackhouse." Niall Brigant, Prince of the Fae, looked at me steadily, his face betraying nothing of his thoughts.

"That is correct," I replied carefully.

"My sources tell me your connection with her is quite, shall we say, intimate?" His expression never flickered, but I am sure mine did.

"Perhaps. Before I answer any further questions, Niall, I must ask what your interest is in Ms. Stackhouse?" I hadn't been intimate with her in the ordinary sense, but the blood we shared was certainly intimate. What did he know? And why did he care?

"I can trust this information will not leave the room?" This was nothing but posturing. He wouldn't have come here if he didn't trust my discretion.

"What you say remains with us."

"Ms. Stackhouse is my great-granddaughter. My son, Fintan, was her grandfather."

Fuck! A fucking fairy princess? My body tensed as I realized the implications of what he said. What did I have myself involved in? I stared at Niall, my face impassive. I was blood bonded to a fairy princess. This was technically a blood offense. I'd fed a fairy my blood, which could be viewed as an act of aggression by the Fae. I hadn't actually drank from her, but I had tasted her blood. A good amount of blood from her wounds that fateful night. Niall appeared calm, but I couldn't know whether he had a hundred Fae warriors waiting outside.

"I was not aware of her relationship with you, Niall." I started to defend my position, but he waved me off and continued speaking.

"I am not here for vengeance, Northman. I understand the facts better than you think." What the hell did that mean? "I need to know your intentions with my great-granddaughter. I can't get into the specifics right now, but I have reason to believe the child may be in great danger. I need to know if I can count on you to help protect her. I ask again, Northman, what are your intentions?"

"I intend to keep the girl safe, Niall, but beyond that I am not prepared to discuss my relationship with Sookie. Have you asked her the same questions?"

"I have yet to meet my great-granddaughter, Northman. Fintan used great magic to keep the girl hidden from me and we've only recently found her." He paused here and leveled his bright blue stare directly at me. "Do you plan on turning her?"

"It wasn't something I had considered at this time, no." Did I want to turn her? Hell, no. Been there, tried that. Still have the nightmares to prove it. "Are you aware Sookie is here? She's due back here any minute now."

"It's highly unlikely such a conversion could occur, I should warn you, in case you decide to consider it. You will kill her if you try. And yes, I am aware of her location. I will get to that in a minute." Where was he three hundred years ago when I could have used this information? Wait. If she was Fae in this lifetime, was she Fae in all of them? How would that work? She couldn't have carried the same bloodline all this time. It wasn't possible. And she isn't a carbon copy image of herself every time. She's been different every time, with just enough similarities to recognize her for who, or what, she was. Just my luck to get just enough information to tease, but not satisfy. It just raised even more questions in my mind. As if I needed more.

"I will keep that in mind," I replied dryly. He was telling me nothing. What did he want?

"Are you planning on furthering your bond?" Hell. If Sookie didn't tell him, how did he know?

I had thought about, yes. A million times over the last weeks. But did I want to be that tightly bound to another? I was tied ridiculously close to her without any blood magic between us. I don't know. I'd never bonded to any of the others, hadn't wanted to. Maybe bonding would be the very thing to stop the madness? Niall was waiting for my response, and I was uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

"I don't know that, Niall. I have only just met your great-granddaughter." I knew that was the response he was looking for, but it was all I could give. "Why do you ask?"

He silently regarded me for long moments. "As I said, Northman, I fear there could be trouble on the horizon. Sookie is still so very young, years away from her Fae maturity. It is impossible to tell if she will be granted any real Fae powers, she is only 1/8, but with Brigant blood in her veins, she has a better chance than others with so little Fae blood. I've been informed her spark is unusually strong. If she were to come into her powers, it is possible she would have a fighting chance for survival."

I thought about what he said for a moment. He was talking in circles. "I understand how this could be beneficial for Sookie, but what does this have to do with any bond we may have?"

"You have to understand that Fae maturity usually comes at about age thirty for full blooded Fae. Sookie is several years away from this mark. For part-Fae, if they have the spark, it is usually later, sometimes as late as forty before any power manifests itself." He paused and I nodded to him. I understood so far. "Sookie's case is a little more unusual, something I haven't encountered before. Her spark has begun to ignite, Northman, and I believe it is due to your magic sparking hers."

I was dumbstruck. I immediately thought of the bond I had with the girl. It was unusually strong, from what I could tell. Was her emerging magic the reason?

"You want to tie your kin, your blood, to a vampire?" This was the part I didn't understand. Niall and I might have a cordial relationship, but vampire and Fae are natural enemies. Fairy scent is irresistible to vampires, and their blood highly intoxicating. If it weren't for Niall's ability to mask his scent, our relationship wouldn't have survived over the years. Why the hell would he want this?

"It wouldn't be my first choice for her, no. But if it is fated to be, I would and do choose you as the vampire." Fated? Was this my fate?

"It was one exchange, Niall, and not a true mutual exchange, either. It is my understanding this connection we have will fade with time if we leave it be. Her fate doesn't have to be tied to me." I tried to put as much conviction into my words as possible, keeping my tone as cool and impersonal as I could. I wish I felt as much conviction within. The very idea of her not being tied to me was doing unwelcome things to me. I wanted to break something.

"I'm sure that would be the case if she were human, Northman." He continued to stare at me, but I swear his expression softened just a tad. "You will have to ask Sookie for her reasons behind her decision, but when you exchanged blood, she accepted the bond." He stopped speaking, regarding me with an unfathomable position. "A Fae bond shares many similarities with your vampire bonds. The Fae only bond when they meet their chosen, their soul mate, if you will. And that type of bond, Northman, does not fade. I can't tell you with any certainty what your bond with my great-granddaughter is, because the pair you are an unknown. You have created a hybrid bond, when you blended your magic with your blood. You are without precedence, especially when you factor in Sookie's emerging spark."

"And you want to encourage this spark?" I ignored the chosen soul mate talk for now. This was cutting uncomfortably close to home. He must be wrong. Sookie didn't even know she was part-Fae. She had never met me before I saved her with my blood, creating this bond. How could she have chosen me? Impossible. I started to wonder what was taking Sookie so long, though. If she didn't return soon I would send Pam to look for her. "You want her bound to me for life?"

"I believe it would benefit both of you should Sookie's spark fully ignite. Her powers could be very limited, but they could be immense. As you know, the Brigant bloodline is one of the oldest and strongest in existence. If she can access a fraction of what is potentially available to her, she will be formidable in her own right. As for the bond," he paused and shrugged then, a very human gesture coming from a fairy, "as I've said, Sookie has chosen you. She will always be tied to you. I can't change this, and even if I could, I would only do so if she asked me to. If she is going to be involved in the supernatural world, she will need a strong partner. Together, you could wield great power and influence, vampire. There are worse possibilities."

"I will need time to think about what you are asking. I barely know this girl. You are offering fairy tales, quite literally. I will think about what you have told me, but I can't promise you anything until I speak with Sookie further. I need to know who you are tying me to for eternity, Niall. This is a major decision." My brain was in complete overdrive now and it was becoming harder and harder to maintain my composure. This conversation was making my head hurt, a strange sensation for a vampire. Where the hell was she, anyway? I was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She was gone far too long already and Compton could be arriving here any minute. I didn't want her to run into him here. I looked at Pam, who had remained quiet as a mouse through the meeting. It must be killing her to hold her tongue like this. "Check on our guest, will you Pam?"

As Pam slipped through the door to check on Sookie, Niall leaned forward in his seat. "I understand. Just don't take too long to decide, Northman. More hangs in the balance than what I can tell you now. When the time is right, you will understand why I have approached you as I have. Do not take my words lightly. Together, you could be invincible, do you understand me? Apart, you are vulnerable. Think on this." Niall stood to his feet, smoothing the fabric of his black suit as he rose. I was about to question him further when Pam burst back into the office.

"Eric. We have a problem. She's gone, and I think Compton has her."

I jumped up, making my way to the door, the Prince momentarily forgotten. "How much of a head start do they have? Who's here we can count on to help track them?"

Pam had just started to explain what she knew when Niall interrupted her.

"Take it easy, Viking." He laughed then, an unexpected sound. "I knew you were the right vampire for the job. Don't worry about Sookie. I told you, I know exactly where she is."

Astonished by his words, I spun around quickly and took in his smiling face. Shifty fucking prick! If he had taken her, I would drain the bastard dry. I leaped towards him, my hands reaching for his neck.

* * *

><p><em>Sorry this isn't longer, I was really hoping to get Sookie's POV in here, too, but I have to end it here for right now.<em>

_Next chapter is just about done, though, and I will be posting it soon. I'd love to know what you think of Niall's revelations! Please let me know._


	11. I have a fairy godmother?

**_A great big mushy thanks to all of you reading this story, and especially for all of you who've taken the time to leave reviews. They mean the world to me. Thank you._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

I drifted slowly back to awareness, struggling to pull myself from the blackness wavering through my mind. There was a cool hand stroking the length of my thigh, disappearing under the blood stained fabric of my dress. I moaned in response, the small sound escaping my parted lips. I felt so damned hot. I was burning up. His cool hand felt so good on my overheated flesh. I shifted towards the heavenly contact, allowing my thighs to part for his questing hand. My vampire. My lover. My Eric.

"Eric," I breathed, the sound almost swallowed by the roar of the car engine. It occurred to me, somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain, that this was wrong. I should be Fangtasia, not a car. But my traitorous body overruled my brain, and again I gave myself over to the overpowering need in my body. I had never felt so horny in my entire existence. I just wanted that cool hand to continue on it's journey. I needed him. I wanted him so badly. "Touch me, baby. I need you."

"Your precious Eric isn't here, Sookie." A cold laugh accompanied this disturbing revelation. "Oh, but don't worry. I plan on touching every inch of you before I have to give you up."

I'm ashamed to say it took a minute for his words to penetrate the fog of lust in my mind. It took everything in me to focus on his words, and not the feel of his hand on my thigh. I knew that voice, and it wasn't my vampire's faintly accented one. I gave myself over to the feelings coursing through my body. I was so hot, and his hand was so cool. I groaned as his fingers slid forward to rest against the damp white lace of my panties. His finger prodded and probed at my core, clumsily and painfully. My eyes snapped open the moment I felt his touch. This was not my vampire. This was not how my lover touched me. I looked to my left, took in the profile of the vampire driver sitting beside me and started screaming, hollering my fear and panic in his face.

"Bill Compton! You stop this car immediately. Do you hear me? Let me out of this car right now!" Cold panic settled into me, temporarily deadening the fire burning through me. I pulled myself as far away from him as I could, squeezing my thighs together tightly.

"I don't think so, my dear. You've led me on quite the merry chase, haven't you? I've got you now, though, and I plan on enjoying every minute until I have to hand you over." He was speaking so calmly. Like he hadn't just kidnapped me. I tried to shake myself mentally. I was so foggy, so hazy. And so damned horny. How could I still be so turned on, even when I was scared almost to death?

"Listen to me, Bill. You have to let me go. You have to." I was desperate, panicked enough to say words I wasn't sure were true. "Eric will find me. He will kill you for this." I didn't know for sure if Eric, Vampire Sheriff of Area Five would care enough to kill for me, but I knew Eric, my dream vampire lover would. He'd said the words to me many times in my dreams.

"Eric, yes. How did you get so much of his blood into you? You stink of him all over, and you almost glow." He tightened his grip on my thigh, squeezing painfully. I'd have bruises, for sure. "Eric should be afraid of me, Sookie. Where you are going, Eric's actions could be considered treasonous. He won't come after you. I've known the Northman for a long time. His reputation precedes him, I'm afraid. He's a cold, hard bastard who's never cared for a single human in his entire existence other than to fuck and feed. He wouldn't risk his position for a human, no matter how much he wants to fuck and feed from them." He laughed then. The coldness in his tone made him seem even more the undead creature he was.

"It's none of your business what I do with Eric! And you are wrong. He's going to come for me, and when he finds you, he will kill you." I thought about what Eric had told me at my house. He would be able to feel my panic, he would know the danger I faced. The bond would allow him to track me, he said. But when I recalled all he said, my hopes deflated a tiny bit.

_'I may be able to sense if you are in danger, but keep in mind I may not always reach you in time. Do not count on me as a guardian angel, Sookie. I can assure you that would be a mistake.'_

I shook it off as much as I could. I lowered my shields all I could and opened up the connection between us as fully as it ever had been, but it felt murky and weighed down. I sent thoughts and prayers his way, hoping against all hope he would find me in time. There was no doubt Bill Compton intended on having me, with or without my consent. I wasn't going to go down without a fight, but a part of me kept reminding me how much my lady parts were throbbing, how stiff and hard my nipples were against the fabric of my dress. I was still so hot, more needy than I could have ever imagined feeling. And now, faced with probable rape, I still can't get a grip on my raging hormones. The thought made me sick to my stomach. What the hell did he put in my drink? My thoughts cut short when I felt the back of his hand collide with the side of my face, before he quickly dropped his hand and pinched my hardened nipple cruelly between his fingers. I cried out in pain.

"Ow! You son of a bitch!" My cheek throbbed painfully, and my hand clutched my breast protectively. "Why are you doing this to me? Just let me go, please!"

"Even if I wanted to, Sookie, and I really don't want to, I can't let you go. I have orders to present you at court tomorrow night, and as I plan on keeping my head, I'm going to follow my orders. And as soon as I get you to my house, I plan on being buried in that sweet cunt of yours all night. I can smell you. I know you are just as excited about this as I am. I understood you playing your good southern girl games with me, Sookie, but I'm going to have you tonight until the sun comes up. And you're going to love it. I will have you begging and pleading for more, Sookie. I will have you screaming my name."

I stared at him with disgust, my skin crawling as his words penetrated me. I felt violated simply hearing him say it. As inflamed as my senses were, no matter how hot and bothered I feel inside, I would not should it to him. I didn't want him, I never wanted him. My body craved the touch of my vampire. My desire was only for Eric, not this crazy bastard. I would never scream his name. I would never beg him for more. I might not be able to stop him taking my body, but I could deny him me, my soul, my desires. Bile rose in my throat, battling with the fear and rage inside me. I felt my body burn even hotter and I opened my mouth to issue a denial when the car filled with the brightest burst of light I had ever seen. The sudden illumination showed the sudden fear on my captor's face, just as the car began to spin out of control. A long, slender hand reached from the back seat, and a single finger pressed to Bill's neck. A bolt of blue light, sort of like electricity, transferred from that hand into my captor's neck. He slumped forward, his head slamming into the steering wheel. We were going to crash. I could see the trees on the side of the road come closer as the out of control, now driverless, car hurtled towards them. My eyes slammed shut. I lost it and screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Eric!" I put all my fear and terror into my scream, wishing with every bit of strength I had to be back safe in his arms.

"You're safe, Sookie." I heard the words coming from the backseat of the car, but I was suddenly very distracted by the strange sensations pulling through my body. It felt like I was being turned inside out. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in the living room of my old farmhouse. I screwed my eyes shut again and held them closed for a few seconds. When I opened them again, I was still standing in the safety of my own living room. What the heck just happened?

"We don't have much time, Sookie. I need you to snap out of it."

I spun around, startled by the soft voice coming from behind me. A strange woman was standing right behind me, a small smile playing on her face. She was beautiful, seriously beautiful. I stared in complete surprise and awe, my mouth gaping open. She was so much taller than me, probably six feet tall. Her hair was gorgeous, thick, dark and wondrously shiny. I just started, too confused to really care anymore.

"I'm Claudine. We haven't met before, but we are cousins." She smiled more fully at me, and extended her hand towards me. Her skin was pale and slightly luminescent, like a vampires, but different. Operating on automatic pilot, I reached my hand to meet hers, and was surprised when she pulled me into her for a swift, but tight hug. "I know you have many questions, and I promise you I will answer them for you, but we don't have time for that now. Just know that you are safe here, and I will continue to watch over you."

I gently extricated myself from her arms. It was strange how comfortable I felt in her embrace. She was soothing to my tormented soul.

"What are you?" I was scared to know the answer, but considering how she'd just magically transported me away from the worst situation I'd ever been in, I was pretty sure she wasn't human, not all human. I looked closer at my unknown savior. She had a faint glow to her skin, sort of how I'd looked after I'd had Eric's blood. "And how did you do that?"

"I'm your fairy godmother, Sookie." A light-hearted laugh accompanied her answer and I simply stared at her in response. "And I teleported us here. I promise, Sookie, I will explain everything soon. But right now we have to talk, and we must be quick. Your vampire should be on his way here by now, and I must be gone before he arrives." She turned and sat on the old couch, patting the seat next to her. "Come, sit. I swear to you, the danger is past. You must not fear me. You and I, we will be the best of friends. I can't tell you how much I've looked forward to meeting you."

I slowly moved to the couch and sank down, not really because she asked, but because I didn't think my shaking legs could hold me up much longer. I sat on the opposite end of the couch, though, rather than next to her. I did want to know what she had to say, and my body was thrumming anew at the idea my vampire was on his way here. He as coming for me.

"I have a fairy godmother?" I still didn't get that idea. Fairy godmothers were like the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, weren't they?

She laughed again, an oddly comforting sound. "Yes, you do, cousin. I'll explain that next time. Right now, your vampire is on his way here, and there are things I must tell you. Pay attention and listen carefully, because I don't have time to repeat myself. Do you understand?'

I nodded numbly. I didn't know how well my still foggy brain would accept what she had to say, but I would listen.

"First thing you need to know is that Bill Compton will try to come back for you, but we will not let him succeed. Stay inside the house tonight, and do not invite him, or anyone you don't know, into this house tonight. He can't come in without an invitation." She paused and looked at me until I nodded back. "Excellent. The second thing to know is that any vampire who is invited into your home can be magically expelled, all you need to do is rescind their invitation. Got it? Just say "I rescind your invitation." That's it." I nodded again. The only vampire I have invited into my home was Eric, even though I don't remember doing it. I wouldn't be throwing him out.

"Yes, I got it. Why is this so important now?"

"I can smell the herbs in the compound Compton must have put into your drink. I recognize them, Sookie, and I understand their purpose." She looked at me with a sorrowful expression. "Do you want this vampire you are tied to, Sookie? I know what happened that night. I was there, and you will never know how sorry I am that I was late getting to you that night. I couldn't stop what was happening, not if I wanted you to live. But you had no choice in what happened. Do you really want him in your life?"

I blushed, the question reminding me of just how much my body was still throbbing with need for my vampire. I didn't want to talk about Eric to this stranger, even if she was my cousin / fairy godmother. Whatever.

"I like Eric. I trust him." I trusted my Eric, anyway.

"The drug you ingested was probably meant to lower your resistance to Bill. It enhances your libido to rather extreme levels, I'm afraid. It will wear off over the next few hours, but you'll likely feel high levels of sexual desire until it does. Your vampire will be here in a few minutes and you must decide if you want him like this. If you don't, you should rescind his invitation immediately. This drug in your system will make it very hard for you to stop if you start anything with him. You are only beginning to feel it's effect, I suspect. It will likely intensify before it recedes." She reached out and patted my hand with hers. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Sookie."

If I thought I was blushing before, I didn't know what I was talking about. Every single ounce of blood in my body flew to the surface of my skin, engulfing me in a total body blush. I couldn't believe she expected me to talk about having sex, crazy drug induced sex, with my vampire. I had my limits, and this was one of them. I was having a hard time thinking at that moment anyway. I could feel Eric coming closer, and his fear and panic were fluttering through me, as well as a persistent feeling of curiosity. I tried to calm myself, hoping to reassure him, even as I struggled to reassure myself.

"I understand what you are saying, Claudine, and I appreciate your concern and advice." That was the best I could come up with. It was kind of her to show concern, and a part of me was really, really excited to know I had more family out there. But my relationship with my vampire, what ever it was or could be, was not anyone else's business.

"One day, Sookie, I want you to tell me why you Chose him. I have a feeling it's an interesting story." Claudine smiled at me again, but I didn't understand what she was saying. I never chose Eric, even though I would, if I could. "Now, I really must be going. It wouldn't be safe for me to be so close to your vampire, especially if he's as riled up as I imagine he is."

"Wait a minute. Why wouldn't you be safe around Eric? You just saved my life. I'm sure he bears you no ill will." She confused me. She gracefully stood to her feet and I followed.

"Vampires and fairies don't mix, Sookie. We are irresistible to them. Vampires cannot control their bloodlust when they are around fairies, they apparently find our blood intoxicating and alluring. Vampires are usually fatal for fairies."

"Oh. Does that mean you are a fairy, then? A real one?" It sank in to me what she was saying. "If you are fairy, and we are cousins, does that make me a fairy, too? Are you telling me Eric is dangerous to me?"

"No, Sookie. You are in no danger from Eric. At this point, I don't know if he could harm you even if he wanted to." That sorrowful look was back on her face and she sighed as she paused. "You are only part-fairy, Sookie, and you don't smell like us, not now. If he was going to drain you, he would have the night he met you. You were covered in blood, and he kept his bloodlust completely in check." She paused again, and sniffed the air. Her body tensed, and she abruptly hugged me again. "He's almost here, Sookie, I can smell him approaching. I love you and I will visit you again soon." Another bright flash of light, accompanied by an audible POP and she was gone, leaving me standing alone in my living room.

"Well, hell." This day was dragging on like it was a hundred hours long. I glanced at the clock on the mantel and nearly fell to my knees. It was only 2:20. Only an hour and twenty minutes had passed since I was in Eric's office. I looked at the blood stains on my dress and was thinking about changing my clothes when I felt him arrive. A thump came from the porch, and pounding started at the front door. I could hear him calling my name from the porch.

I smoothed a hand over my hair, hauling the red hairband out as I did so. I took a long, deep breath and started towards the door. To my vampire. To Eric. My heart thumped almost painfully in my chest. I opened the door and took in the wonderful man, the vampire, standing in front of me. He came for me. I knew he would.

"Won't you please come in?" He was across the threshold in a flash, pulling me tight to his body, his nose buried in my hair.

This was right. This was best.

* * *

><p><strong><em>And that's all for now, folks! Hope you liked it. Please take the time to leave a review and let me know!<em>**

**_I'm working on the next chapter now, and I'm hoping to get it posted tonight. Your reviews are the best motivation I could have. Seriously._**

**_Oh, yeah, and a major lemon alert on the next chapter. Who's up for some fabulous Viking lovin'?_**


	12. Are you mad?

_**Thanks to everyone who left reviews for this story. I try to answer every one, but if I haven't responded to you, it's because I've been nusying getting this chapter ready. I love and appreciate each and every one of you. **_

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

I flew as fast as I could towards Sookie's Bon Temps farmhouse. Her fear pulsed through me, and I cursed Niall Brigant in my head. If he lied to me, I would skin the flesh from his bones before I drained the bastard dry. His assurances of his other kin's involvement in her rescue weren't reassuring to me at all. I still couldn't quite believe the audacity he'd shown in our meeting. Could I believe a single word he said? His frank demeanor and forthright talk didn't fool me for a second. He'd mostly spoke in god damned circles, dangling bits of information in front of me, like I was a fucking dog with a bone. It was completely unfathomable to me that the Prince of the Fae wanted to bond his blood to a vampire, and if he did, it could surely be to benefit himself. There had to be much, much more to this story. I won't make any further moves until I know more.

I concentrated on the bond between us as I flew. It had been less clear ever since she disappeared, but I could still feel her, and sensed I was heading in the right direction. A sense of relief flowed through me. Her fear was still present, but it was mingling with shock and surprise. And, strangest of all, I could still feel good amounts of lust and desire pulsing in our bond. The passion she'd showed in my office was tremendous and nearly awe-inspiring, but there was little explanation why a kidnapping hadn't dampened her desires. She was an oddly fascinating creature. Her reactions and emotions were never what I expected. Even as I flew closer and closer towards her, I still had no idea what to expect from her when I arrived. I didn't know what I wanted from her when I arrived, either. Our moments in my office were etched in my brain forever, but it had been an unexpected, and largely unwelcome, complication.

The fairy aroma hit me as I began to descend, a couple of hundred yards away from her house. I cursed Brigant again. I hadn't though about this on my way here, but I can bet Brigant did. If it was his true desire to have me bond to Sookie, he was certainly setting the scene well. I knew I would be walking into a fairy scented Sookie's house. It was hard enough to resist her without the manipulations of the fucking Fae. I bitterly wondered if he'd had his kin light candles and shove on some Barry White, while they were at it. A sudden bolt of lust, heavily tinged with embarrassment, filtered through the bond, nearly causing me to fall from the sky. I actually shuddered under the force of her desire and all thoughts of restraint started to slip from my mind again. Who was this girl who could shake me so damned easily? I suddenly wanted to know what was causing her reactions. Who was this fairy kin of Niall? Now that I thought of it, all Niall had said was his grandchild would be escorting Sookie home. He wouldn't be stupid enough to send someone to seduce her, would he? It was the kind of underhanded trick Niall would be prone to, if for no other reason than to provoke me into making a move in his favor.

I dropped the final couple of feet to her porch and pounded on the door. "Sookie? Sookie? Open the door. It's me. It's Eric." I felt like a complete fool banging on her door. I wanted to kick it in.

The door finally swung open and I was nearly brought to my knees with the delectable aromas wafting out the opened door. There was an overpowering scent of Fae in the air, and emanating from Sookie herself. But it was her scent, her unique sweetness that made me want to drop to my knees and worship her. The scent of her arousal was so incredibly strong. She stood there in her blood stained dress, still looking as exquisitely, arousingly innocent as she had in my office, her hair now tousled and tumbling in golden, sun-kissed curls down her back. She was like a sunbeam in an underground cavern. She offered hope in the darkness.

"Won't you please come in?" Her words spurred me to action, and without thinking, I closed the distance between us and pulled her into my embrace. My face found a new home, surrounded by the silky locks of her hair. I breathed deeply, taking in lungfuls of her scent. Unnecessary, but I was trying desperately to acclimatise myself to the fairy scent in the air. If I couldn't get a grip, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from taking her right there on the hard wooden floor. My large hands skimmed up her back, coming to rest on the skin exposed by the low back of her dress. She was so soft, so hot to touch. I reluctantly pulled myself together, and was about to separate from her when I felt her small hand creep downward over the back of my jeans. The little minx was copping a feel of my ass. Amusement warred with a sudden peak of arousal in my body.

My amusement was short lived, however, when she started to move against me, twisting herself wantonly in my arms. My thigh registered the incredible heat emanating from her core which she was rubbing in small, but noticeable, movements across my upper thigh. The image in my head alone sent more blood pounding into my already stiff cock. Her hands were tugging me closer to her as her cheek rubbed back and forth across my chest, marking me with her scent. Small, incoherent mewling noises were coming from her. Her small body was burning up, her skin flaming. I could feel some of her heat being absorbed by my body and I quivered inside with the emotions she was invoking in me.

"Ssshhh, lover." I murmured the words to her, my face still buried in her hair. I pulled back reluctantly, raising a hand to cup her face. "It's over now. Shush, now. I have you." I placed my hand under her chin and raised her flushed face to mine. My mood shifted instantly when I saw the dark bruise forming on her cheek. Fucking bastard. I touched a finger gently to her damaged flesh. "What happened?" I asked quietly. "I will fucking kill Compton for this."

She laughed. "That's what I said." She pulled back from me, putting a couple of inches of space between us. Her face lowered to the ground for a moment before she looked up at me from under her lashes. She looked shy and absolutely adorable. "I told him you would kill him when you found him. He didn't like my answer." She shrugged and stepped backwards, moving away from me. I felt the loss of her heat immediately.

"I will kill him. Did he hurt you any other way, Sookie?" I knew he hadn't raped her, but I could smell him on her. I will fucking kill him for this, Sophie-Ann be damned. I knew then that I would kill anybody who harmed a single shiny golden hair on her head.

"No. Not really." She shook her head, but a fresh blush stained her cheeks. "He did put something in my drink, but Claudine told me I would be alright tomorrow."

"Claudine came for you? Claudine Crane?" No supernaturally seductive male fairies, then. Not yet.

She shrugged her shoulders. "She just said Claudine. I don't know her, but she claimed she was my cousin."

She took two steps towards the living room before pausing and walking back to me. Picking up my larger, harder hand in her soft, smaller one, she lead me by the hand to the living room, directing us both towards the couch we had occupied on my last visit here. She plopped down in the center of the couch, tugging me down to sit beside her. I scooped her into my arms and placed her in my lap, her back against the arm of the couch. I half expected her to protest or pull away, but she settled her head against my chest. She fit into my body like I was made as her resting place. It felt too good.

"I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind, but my legs just won't hold me up." She spoke quietly, her fingers tracing circular patterns around the center of my chest. "I knew you would come for me."

"I will never let anyone harm you, Sookie." I hesitated to bring it up, but I had to know what she knew of Compton's plans. "Why did you come to see me this evening, Sookie?"

I felt the already incredible heat coming from her body spike even further and to my amazement, her ass rubbed against me in slow, languorous circles. The movements were small, but distinct against my straining muscles. I could feel her desire spike through the bond. She was obviously recalling what happened in my office, as I tried not to.

"I had a feeling Bill Compton was up to no good. I didn't know it was you I was coming to see." Her intense blue eyes caught mine. They were full of reproach. "He'd been up my rear end for weeks, and he just wouldn't take no for an answer. Then he started asking me to go to New Orleans with him, even offering to pay me to go. I think he tried that glamour thing you all do on me, too. I was scared of what he might do, so my boss - Sam Merlotte? He said you guys know each other? - well, Sam told me I needed to see the Sheriff and file a complaint. I came to see you, and well, you know the rest."

"I couldn't tell you I was Sheriff, Sookie. That's not something humans are aware of, our power structure. I told you more than I should have that night." Merlotte technically shouldn't have told her, either, but I wasn't going to hold him responsible. She needed all the protection she could get.

"Oh, yeah?" She sat up straighter in my lap, her chin stuck out in a rebellious pose. "So why does Sam know all about it, then? What do you say to that?"

"Sookie, it's just humans who are unaware of the way vampire's rule themselves. All the other supernatural groups are aware, of course."

"So what? What does that have to do with Sam?" Oh, Christ. I don't know why I assumed she knew her bosses true nature.

"Perhaps that's something you should ask him." I chose my words carefully. "Did Bill tell you anything else? Give you any indication of where he was taking you?"

"He said a couple of times he was turning me over to someone else tomorrow. He said where he was taking me your actions would be considered treasonous. I don't know who or where, though. He didn't say. I think he was planning on taking me to his house tonight. He lives just across the cemetery from here." Her small frame shook as she said the last words. I could only imagine what he'd said to her about what he was going to do her there. One of my hands found its way to her hair, stroking through the silken strands in a soothing pattern, while the other glided up and down the smooth skin of her calf. My cock pulsed furiously against the pressure of her round bottom, and I could still feeling her rocking back and forth against me slightly. The friction was driving me mad. It had been a bad impulse to pull her into my arms like this, but I barely had time to regret it before she sprung out of my grasp to land on her feet. Clearly her reflexes were still heightened.

"Can I offer you anything? I picked up some True Blood. Can I get you some? You hold on here, and I will get you some." Without waiting for a reply, she practically flew out of the room. I heard the fridge door open and shut. I sat there stunned for a moment. What had made her so jittery? I sat and waited patiently for her to return. I could feel a myriad of swirling feelings coming from her, but her emotions were fluctuating at an alarming rate. I couldn't decipher her sudden distress. I heard the microwave ding, but when she didn't return a minute later, I got up to investigate. I had no expectations of what I would find, but I guarantee I never expected to see Sookie Stackhouse, standing in her kitchen, rubbing ice over her body.

"What are you doing, lover?" I couldn't help the way my voice sounded. I wasn't trying to be seductive, but she was bewitching me. What the hell was she doing? One hand was rubbing a cube of ice across the tops of her breasts, while the other was stroking a matching cube up and down the insides of her thighs, where she had the skirt of her dress bunched up. Water was trickling down her legs and soaking into the top of her white dress. Her nipples showed clearly through her dress. I took an instinctive step towards her. She was enchanting me.

She looked up at me quickly, desperation etched clearly across her features. A wave of lust shot through her when her eyes met mine. She remained motionless for a long moment before she was sprinting across the kitchen and jumping up into my arms. Her lips crashed into mine, her tongue sweeping out to tease the crease of my lips. I was stunned, but I held her firmly to me and opened my mouth to her. Her tongue swept into my mouth, caressing against my tongue. My fangs clicked down and my tongue began warring with hers for dominance. She was kissing me like her life depended on it, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. My hands slipped down to grip her ass, holding her up as she rubbed herself against me. I pressed her hot core against my straining erection and she responded with a moan into my mouth before I felt her fingers slip down my back, pulling and tugging at my T-shirt. Her heated hands stroked every inch of flesh she could reach, while her mouth continued it's exploration of mine.

She pulled back suddenly, gasping for air, and stared at my fangs before leaning forward again and caressing the length of them with her tongue. I nearly came undone in my pants. Just as I was about to claim her mouth again, she jumped from my arms and spun around, gripping the edge of the countertop with her hands. I could see the whiteness in her knuckles, she was gripping so tightly. A growl ripped from my chest. She will be the death of me. I looked at her back, noting the tremors wracking her slim back.

"Sookie? What's wrong?" I didn't understand what just happened. My fangs clicked back in.

"I think you should just leave, Eric. I'm sorry for what I did. It was inappropriate. This isn't your problem, though, and I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone." She sounded choked, her voice came out kind of strangled and breathless. I went to her, placing my hands on her shoulders. She was burning hot. I put gentle pressure on her shoulders, forcing her to face me. She was shaking, and tears streamed from her eyes.

"I'll go nowhere until you tell me what is wrong, Sookie. What's is it?" It occurred to me what she said about Claudine telling her about the drug Compton used. She said it wouldn't wear off until tomorrow. I assumed he'd used something to make her sleepy and compliant, but now I wondered. She was starting to look feverish. The bond was full of desire, lust, need and shame. She was truly troubled and torn, that was obvious. I stroked up and down her upper arms unconsciously. She shivered under my hands and swayed towards me again.

"I don't want to talk about it. I can't talk to you about it. I just need you to leave before I make an even bigger fool of myself." Another tear trickled down her face and without thinking, I captured it with the tip of my finger before popping it into my mouth. I closed my eyes briefly, savouring her taste on my tongue. She was truly exquisite. Her eyes widened at my action before she closed them again, scrunching up her face and moaning. She was squirming and wiggling in my grasp, and to my utter shock, her hips started to make contact with mine, bumping and twisting. Even as she tells me to leave, she casts her net more firmly around me.

"Lover, don't be foolish. You did nothing wrong, do you hear me? Nothing." She was confounding, and I was sure at this point she had indeed bewitched me. Even with her giving me an open out, which I thought I wanted, I was sticking around for more. "Look at me, Sookie. It's okay. Tell me what's wrong." I took a stab in the dark. "What did Claudine say about the drug you took?"

She let out a sob before trying to turn from me again. I held her firmly. It took her a moment, but she eventually answered, her voice little better than a whisper. "She just said it was meant to make me more complaint, so I wouldn't resist him."

A thought occurred to me then, and my blood ran cold. Surely the fucking prick wouldn't have done this to her? I thought I knew what he's given her, and it made me sick to think of it. Only the most depraved vampires I knew used these herbs.

"Did she tell you anything else, Sookie?" I spoke just as gently as she had, leaning my chin to rest on the top of her head. I didn't want her to see the look on my face. "Did she explain the side effects to you?"

"Yes." Her voice was small and timid, but I could feel her heartbeat thudding madly through her veins. It was intoxicating. "She said it would make me want you." She buried her head into my chest, her arms coming around my waist. She was pure flame against me. She trembled and shook against me, and I cursed Bill Compton to hell. I picked her up and sat her on the counter behind her and moved to stand between her legs. She tightened her thighs until they pressed to my hips. I leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, stroking the side of her face.

"I think I know what he might have given you, Sookie. He meant for you to want him. If I'm right, the potion he gave you has been used by vampires to make their human companions more pliable and able to keep up with whatever sexual desires the vampire might want. The only relief comes with orgasm." I spoke carefully and slowly. I didn't want to scare her. If she knew the truth of what she's taken, she'd be terrified. In truth, these types of potions were used to increase the libido to the point of madness. To say they were mean to make one more pliable was the understatement of the century. The were meant to make humans horny as a bull in heat. "Don't be ashamed, little one. It's not your fault. Let me help you, lover. Yield to me, Sookie."

She stared at me, her chest heaving as she struggled to control her breathing. I could make all this stop for her if she let me. I wished I understood what was going on behind her wide eyes. She still wasn't speaking, but I could smell her intoxicating arousal all around us. The bond was pulsing inside me, a virtual storm of ragged emotion. I leaned in and rested my forehead against hers. I was too far gone to leave her right now. I wouldn't leave her in this state in any case. I was about to speak again when her words floated on a breath between us.

"Make love to me, my vampire."

It was all the permission I needed. I swept her to me, claiming her mouth, meeting her passion with rivers of my own. She again wrapped her silky thighs around my waist and I swiftly moved us to her bedroom. I found the zipper in the back of her dress and slid it down, sliding the straps from her shoulders as I did so. I waited until she drew back to gasp for air before I let her slide down the long length of my body. I groaned as her curves slipped through my grasp, but I took a step back when her feet touched the floor.

"Take off your dress, lover." My voice was husky as I looked at her in the filtered moonlight streaming into her room. She was so beautiful, so incredibly sexy.

She looked at me with pure fire in her eyes. One shimmy from her rounded hips and her dress pooled at her feet, leaving her in nothing but her red heels and oh, so skimpy white panties. A knot formed in my stomach as I took her in. Perfection.

"Your turn." She stared at me, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. In one smooth motion, my T-shirt was gone. Her mouth formed a sweet O as she stretched out one hand to trail across my tightened abdomen. She grabbed hold of my belt buckle and gave it a shake. "It's still your turn."

I took my time undoing the buckle before slowly sliding it free of it's loops and let it drop to the floor. The buckle clanged off the floor, and Sookie gave a delicious shiver, her breasts quivering with the movement. I kicked off my boots before I unbuttoned my jeans and slid the zipper down, shimmying my hips as she did, letting my jeans pool around my ankles. I kicked them free and stood before her in all my naked glory. My cock was fully erect, straining in her direction. Her gaze dropped and a small smile played around her lips. I grinned at her.

"Like what you see, lover?" I puffed myself up, preening before her. I knew I looked damned good.

"I do, but I'm feeling a little overdressed now." She was blushing all over, but her fingers slid tortuously slowly down her belly before hooking in the waistband of her lace underthings. She started to tug, but I grabbed her and swept her up into my arms, my lips pressed to hers again. I laid her out on the bed, coming to rest beside her. Kissing my way up her neck, licking and suckling the tender flesh, I whispered into her ear. "I'll take those off for you later." I captured her lips once again in a searing kiss, drinking her in. I could kiss this woman forever, she tasted like heaven.

Anxious to taste the rest of her, I reluctantly gave up her lips to move my attentions lower, my lips aching to wrap themselves around her peaked nipple. My hands were full of her glorious breasts, each a perfect handful. I massaged them in a circular motion as my lips alternated between her hard peaks, sucking each one into my mouth, my tongue playing with the pebbled texture surrounding her diamond hard peaks.

Her moans and sighs were driving me to distraction, but it was the insistent motion of her hips that drew my attention. I slid my hand down over her gently rounded belly, sliding my fingers under the waistband of her panties. I raised my head to capture her mouth once more before sliding further down in the bed. I paused to run my tongue across the underside of her breast, moving lower to tongue the delicate skin of her rib cage, smiling against her skin as she moaned and twisted under me. I let my finger slide lower, slipping slowly into her slit, dragging across her swollen clit. She bucked her hips violently at the brief contact. I continued licking and kissing down her sweet skin, pausing to let my tongue swirl through her belly button as my fingers mimicked the motion on her slick clit. She moaned my name, the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.

"Do you want more, Sookie?" I blew cold air from my lungs across her over heated flesh, watching the goose flesh rise. She twisted and turned on the bed, nearly thrashing. I moved lower to settle between her shapely thighs. I hooked my fingers over the lace at her hips. "Look at me, lover. Do you want more?" As she grunted out her permission, I ripped the fragile lace and swept the scant garment from her body. I gently nudged her thighs wider, gratified when she spread them fully. Her heady scent invaded me and I could wait no longer to taste her. I leaned in and swept my tongue up her silky wet flesh, flattening it to collect as much of her juices as I could. I groaned as her taste registered. It was pure ambrosia to my senses. I continued licking and sucking her sweetness, drawing her hardened clit into my mouth, teasing it with my teeth and tongue.

"Oh, God, Eric. Yes, please, please, yes!

I could feel her body tensing and I knew it wouldn't be long. I slid one finger inside her tight channel and curled it upwards, pressing and finding her spot with ease. A couple of rapid movements and I was rewarded with a flood of nectar accompanying the spasms racking through her frame, her hips arching up off the bed, pressing her core tightly to my face. She called my name, over and over, chanting it as her orgasm ripped through her. I pushed her down into place and held her with one arm flung over her hips. I wasn't finished. She was delectable. If I could survive on her juices, I would live between her thighs. I slowly licked and tasted her as her tremors subsided and her breathing evened slightly.

I buried my face in the crook of her leg, feeling the force of the blood moving through her femoral artery. She smelled so good, and my head was already swimming with her flavors and aromas. My fangs clicked down again and it was all I could do not to sink them into the firm flesh of her thigh. I dragged myself away and slid upwards to hold her in my arms, pulling her in for a kiss. She moaned as she tasted herself from my tongue and my cock twitched in anticipation. My lover raised an arm to wrap herself closer to me and rubbed her body against the length of mine. She was almost purring. I could feel the relief in the bond and knew she'd probably have just a few minutes before the drug took hold of her system again.

"Thank you, Eric." She moaned the words into my mouth, her breath hitching as she spoke. "That was amazing."

I chuckled at her. "That was nothing, lover. Just the preview of the main event." My hands were busy sliding over her silken skin, cupping her breast in my hand, my fingers idly flicking the hardened peak, watching her breast jiggle erotically. I leaned down to take the peak into my mouth, laving the tip with my tongue. I could feel her heartbeat picking up under my ministrations and raised my head to capture her lips again. I used every bit of talent I had in that kiss, stroking her lips, tongue, teeth and gums with my tongue, twisting and dueling with hers until she as completely breathless again. I'd fucked thousands of women in my long life, but I'd never felt such need to kiss any of them. Her hands stroked every inch of me she could reach.

We continued to kiss like horny teenagers as my fingers slid back down to play in her slippery folds. She moaned as I played with her dripping opening, grinding her hips against me, trying desperately to increase the friction. I slid one finger in before quickly adding another to her slippery sheath. Gods, she was tight. Impossibly so. She pulled away from our kiss to gasp at the new sensations flooding through her. I pumped my fingers shallowly inside her, letting her get accustomed to my invasion before adding a third. Sookie moaned, her hands going to her breasts, fingers squeezing her nipples. She moaned my name, calling for me to wait.

"What is it, my lover?" I twisted my fingers inside her slowly, my thumb brushing over her swollen clit. She clamped her muscles down on me and squeezed tightly. I spread my fingers further, stretching her walls, preparing her to accept my considerable size. "Do you want me to stop?" I captured her lower lip between my teeth and bit down gently.

"No," she moaned, "but there's something I need to tell you first." Her hips were swiveling to meet my fingers, pressing down to try to force deeper penetration.

"What is it, lover?" I started to pump my fingers faster inside her, pressing deeper and deeper as I stroked her depths. I froze suddenly as her next words penetrated my consciousness just as my fingers encountered irrefutable evidence.

"I'm a virgin, Eric. I've never done this before."

Fuck, fuck, fuck! I wanted to scream and holler my frustration to the heavens above. A virgin. Who would have thought it? I looked at her beautiful face, my eyes sweeping down to take in her glorious, sexy body. She was a fucking wet dream, for fuck's sake! How could she still be a virgin? My mind struggled with her words as my fingers pressed against the barrier of truth located deep inside her sheath.

I dropped my head to her chest, my forehead resting on her heaving breast. I couldn't do this to her, damn it all. Her first time would not be because some asshole vampire drugged her and another opportunistic vampire was taking advantage of the situation. There must be a good reason a woman like this was still a virgin at her age. In this day and age, it was almost unheard of. Fuck! Her voice snapped me out of my frustrated silence.

"Eric? Are you mad? I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sorry to leave it here, folks, but this was getting really long and I wanted to move on to the next chapter, Sookie's POV and the morning after scene, so to speak.<strong>_

_**I'd love to know what you think of this one, though! I'm kind of nervous writing the smutty stuff. What did you all think?**_

_**Next chapter is almost ready, and should be up tomorrow! Reviews make me write so much faster!**_


	13. Knock your Socks Off

**_Sorry for the delay in posting, but we had a serious family thing come up over the weekend._ **

I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have left reviews and added this story to your alerts. You all make me want to work harder at this. A million thanks!

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

Eric groaned, burying his face against my breast before reaching up to claim my lips in a hungry kiss, his mouth plundering mine, his tongue winning any battle for dominance going on in my mouth. I could feel the heat rising in my body again, and knew the drugs in my system were only partially to blame. Tremors shook my body again, and I moaned raggedly. My vampire slipped his fingers from my wetness and moved his body to cover mine. I pressed myself tightly to his steel frame, wantonly rubbing my overheated flesh against his cool skin. If I meant to cool myself down, it didn't work. I was feeling hotter than ever. Our new positioning left his erection pressing firmly against my stomach. I could feel every twitch, every throb of his impressive length. It thrilled me to my core that I could have such an effect on this gorgeous, powerful vampire. I squirmed underneath him, inexpertly seeking greater friction.

"Lover, if you keep that up, I'm not going to be held responsible for my actions any further." Eric's voice as hoarse, but there was a strained smile on his face as he looked into my eyes. "I'm not mad, Sookie. Of course not. How can I be mad when you are so willing to share yourself with me like this?" He dipped his head again, and nibbled on my bottom lip and his clever, clever fingers once again found my turgid nipples. He plucked and squeezed, caressed and rubbed. I wondered, in some deep recess of my brain, whether it was possible to orgasm simply from nipple stimulation. I felt awfully close at that moment.

"Make love to me then. Please, Eric. I need you."

I squirmed and twisted with renewed vigor beneath him, swiveling my hips until he applied more pressure with his, keeping me still. I may not be very experienced, but I knew I was driving him mad. I could see it in his face, in the glowing blue gaze he settled on my face. I reached a hand around to grab hold of his truly world class ass, squeezing and stroking the firm curves, pulling him closer. I was willing to try anything to get him where I wanted him. Where I needed him. I was going to go crazy if he didn't touch me again.

He groaned again, the sound harsh and pained to my ears. His tongue took over duty from his fingers, and soon his mouth was pulling on my nipple, drawing the tender flesh deeper and deeper into his mouth. My stomach clenched in response, a tight coil of tension having taken up residence low in my belly. My fingers tangled in his golden hair, pressing him ever closer to my aching breasts.

"Oh, God, Eric!"

I cried out as he started to tongue the valley between my breasts, licking a cool, wet trail from nipple to nipple before tracing his way up to dip his tongue in the slight hollow of my collarbone, and upwards to settle his lips around the furiously beating pulse in my neck. His slim hips started to move lower, tormentingly slowly, his throbbing length dragging against my quivering belly before coming to rest just at the top of my mound. My legs spread wider in anticipation.

Poised just at the brink, he balanced his weight on his elbows, letting his hands rest on either side of my face, his fingers stroking the tender skin behind my ears. He held still for a long moment, staring down at me with lust burning in his eyes, but an unfathomable expression on his face. His head lowered until our lips met in a deep, slow kiss. He broke the kiss with a primal growl as I lifted my hips under him, and his long, cool length dragged through my slick folds, slipping to rest at my wet opening. In a flash, he'd pulled away from me, sliding quickly down my body until his face was again buried in my heated folds. All the blood in my body rushed towards his questing mouth, the combined effect of his passionate attentions, and the drugs still coursing in my system. I was light-headed and breathless, every thought consumed by my sexy blond vampire.

"Oh. Oh. Oh." I thought I was going to break apart right then. My cries echoed through the room, coming back to beat at my ears.

My head thrashed from side to side on the pillow, my fingers digging deep into the bedding. He was attacking me, devouring me, consuming me. He continued to growl, a low rumble that reverberated through to my sensitive nerves, much like how I imagine a vibrator might feel. A large hand palmed my thigh before lifting it and draping it over his broad shoulder. I felt his long fingers invading me, stroking and caressing my walls as they quaked and squeezed around him. He added a third finger, and suddenly it felt like he was everywhere I needed him to be, all at once.

"Look at me, lover." He slowed his movements until I opened my eyes to meet the intensity of his gaze. There was such hunger in his face, naked, pure hunger, a look I recognized from all my dreams. A shiver ripped through me, starting as a tingle in my scalp before shooting through my spine, every nerve in my body firing as my muscles tensed. Eric picked up his speed again, twisting his fingers and massaging me from the inside out. He never broke eye contact as he leaned his glorious face towards my aching clit, pointing his tongue and laying quick, hard flicks all over my swollen flesh. "That's right, my lover. Come for me."

One heel dug into the bed, digging deep to find traction, while the other slipped up and down the cool skin of my lover's back. A high pitched, keening noise erupted from my throat and I couldn't stop my hips from rocking back and forth against him as pleasure crested through my bowed body.

"Eric. Oh, Eric. Oh, God." I called his name over and over as I came.

He continued to stroke me softly, tenderly as I slowly drifted back to earth. I felt fabulous. After giving me a moment to come back down to reality, Eric shifted us in the blink of an eye, laying himself back on my bad, with my limp form draped over his large, cool body. I was overcome with emotion and too exhausted to even attempt to organize my thoughts. I simply lay there across the vampire I've dreamed about my entire life and enjoyed the aftershocks still rippling through me. This was by far the most personal, most intimate, most sensual experience of my existence.

Eric seemed to sense my mood. He lay quietly beneath me, not speaking other than to whisper soft words, sweet nothings, I guess you'd call them, in his native tongue. As my hazy brain translated the words and my heart warmed with his sentiments, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He clearly assumed I didn't have a clue what he was saying, and I didn't know how to explain how I came by my skills. I felt a little sad as his large, slightly calloused hand traced circles around my shoulder blades, dipping here and there to play in the hollow at the small of my back.

The rest of the night passed in a haze of arousal, lust and orgasms, so many I couldn't even begin to count. Eric was inventive and exhaustive in his efforts, his attentions varying wildly. He made love to my sensitized body over and over, taking me in as many positions as I had ever imagined, plus a few more I'd never heard of. One minute, he was tender, sweet, gentle, coaxing me with softly spoken endearments and encouragement. In a flash, his mood could switch to electric, primal domination as his hands and mouth brought me to the edge with an almost violent precision. It was in the midst of one particularly intense orgasm that I felt his fingers dive through the barrier deep within me, the sharp, short burts of pain quickly swept away with the force of the orgasm overtaking me. I shook in his arms as I felt his immense sense of satisfaction and possessiveness sweep through the bond between us.

I was exhausted, unable to move, sated beyond belief when he'd finally slipped from my bed and quietly dressed. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I thought Eric was cutting it very close to daybreak. I watched him with heavy eyes, fighting the sleep threatening to overtake me. I didn't want this night to end. I wanted to curl against his body and sleep, not be left alone. I noticed with some guilt that his impressive length was still somewhat swollen and hard. It felt wrong. He had given me so much pleasure this night, and while I knew he'd found his own release more than once - the sticky dampness on my sheets attested to that - I felt I should have given him more. I was still touched and surprised by the sacrifice he'd made for me tonight. No matter how I pleaded with him - and, trust me, I begged and pleaded with him - he wouldn't take my virginity in fact, as he already had in theory. He cursed Bill Compton thoroughly through the night, but refused to waver from what he felt was right. It just made me want him more.

He sat on the edge of the bed to haul on his boots, and I reached out to stroke his back.

"Eric?" He turned and looked at me, that unfathomable expression on his face again. "Um, I - ah, I just wanted to say thank you. And to say I'm sorry it wasn't better for you."

A flash of surprise spread across his face before disappearing. He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine.

"Lover, what are you saying? You are a delight, you are delicious. I enjoyed every minute." He gave me a wry grin, his beautiful lips lopsided. "Much more than I would have thought possible, actually. I should be thanking you."

He deepened the kiss for a moment, his tongue sweeping across mine, before sliding back out through my lips with a sad finality. His forehead rested against mine for a moment before he spoke again, but this time in Swedish. My brain automatically translated the words which would trouble and confuse me for a long time to come.

"You have haunted me for a thousand years, my lover. Waiting for you is second nature to me now."

He claimed my lips for one last, deep soulful kiss before saying goodnight and disappearing.

When I opened my eyes again, sunlight was streaming brightly through the bedroom window. I groped around the floor by my bed to find the alarm clock we'd managed to send flying the night before.

1:30. Ok, not too bad.

I sat up in bed. My head was weirdly full, like it was clogged with very heavy cotton balls. My mouth was pasty, and grossly dry. I felt hungover, but I knew if was the aftereffects of the drug, more than anything else. I stretched my body, experimentally. I felt wonderful from the neck down, my muscles liquidy under my skin. I had a little tenderness in unfamiliar places, but I knew it was nothing compared to the tenderness I'd be feeling if we'd really made love. He was truly blessed in that department. A small blush bloomed on my cheeks as I jumped from bed, heading for the bathroom.

I banished him from my thoughts as I brushed my teeth before grabbing a quick shower. Anger rose through me when I looked at the angry bruises the asshole Bill Compton had left on the side of my face. I took deep breaths to try and still the emotions welling inside me. I needed coffee, and lots of it. After pouring myself a cup, I stepped outside, glad it was still warm enough to be comfortable in my robe. I sat on the old porch swing, steadfastly avoiding thinking of my vampire and what had happened between us. Instead, I looked around at Gran's flower beds, noting the dying plants. I would really need to spend some time winterizing the garden soon. It was already October.

It wasn't until I was well into my second cup that I finally allowed all the events of the last twenty four hours to come flooding back to me. It had all been too much, from Bill stalking me at every turn, to Sam coming to my rescue with his inside vamp information, to the events in Eric's office and everything that happened later. I cast a glance at the sun still shining bright in the sky before shooting a glance towards the Compton house. I still needed to find out what happened to him. Am I still in danger? Claudine said they wouldn't let him get me, but who knew?

Oh, my God. Claudine! I slapped myself in the forehead when she came into my head. How the hell could I have forgotten about having a fairy godmother who could quite literally POP me out of harm's way? I raised my cup only to groan out loud when I realized it as empty. I marched back into the kitchen for my third up of the day. I would need it to get through this one.

I sank into Gran's old chair at the kitchen table. I missed her so much. I don't know what she would have made of what's turned into my life, but I just know she would have found the words to make me feel better, even if we were talking about honest to goodness fairy godmothers and dream vampire lovers come to life. I let my fall forward onto the kitchen table, resting my bruised cheek on the old wood. I stared at my coffee cup, getting lost in the tendrils of steam rising from the cup.

Was I really a fairy? The idea was preposterous, really. Am I a fairy? I mean, who ever has to ask themselves that question? I don't even know what it means.

I thought more about the otherworldly beauty who claimed to be my fairy godmother. She was absolutely not human, neither were her powers. She had teleported us, for God's sake. All the way from Shreveport to Bon Temps. Once again, who does that? No human I'd ever heard of. I closed my eyes when I thought about how I'd never known a human who could read minds, either. Is that a fairy thing? Could there really be an explanation for my freaky curse after all this time? I started to feel hopeful my self-proclaimed fairy godmother would keep her promise and return to talk with me. I wondered if she knew what Bill's plans for me were. She had popped in at the right time. She must know something. Or maybe she could track me in some weird supernatural way, like the way the bond between Eric and I worked.

I groaned again before sitting up and sipping my coffee. All thoughts always led to Eric. I just don't know if I can think about him rationally yet. I'm still struggling with the idea that this powerful vampire, this walking god, the sexiest man I could ever imagine seeing, just walked out of my dreams and into my life. And then right into my bed. My thoughts started to drift to the memories of his touch when I was startled by a knock on the front door. My heart jumped in my chest, making it beat erratically for a moment before I heard Sam's voice calling out from the front porch.

"Sook! Sookie, are you home?"

I immediately felt guilty. I should have called him to let him know I was alright. I got up to let him in.

"Hi, Sam. Sorry I haven't called. I'm not long up. Come on in." I waved him into the house and gestured for him to follow me back to the kitche. "Can I get you something to drink? I've got some fresh coffee on."

"No, I'm good. I really just came by to make sure you were okay."

I returned to my spot at the table and Sam took a seat opposite me. I didn't like the look on his face, no more than I liked the way he spoke to me, his voice slow, and almost suspicious. I started to feel a little weirded out when it looked almost like he was trying to sniff the air. What the hell?

"I'm fine, really. Thank you for all your help last night."

"You met the Sheriff." Sam's voice was pretty flat for him. He was looking at me with slightly narrowed eyes, his nostrils flared out a little. I was feeling a little defensive when I spoke.

"Yes, I did. He's going to take care of the situation." I chose my words very carefully at this point. "As it turned out, though, Sam, I kind of know Eric Northman. I just didn't know he was some hotshot head honcho vampire."

"What the hell, Sook? How do you know Eric fucking Northman?" Sam started in his chair, his hand balling into a fist on the table. He looked mad, but mostly it was worry I saw reflected in his eyes. As normal, Sam's thoughts were mostly off limits to me. His reaction was a little more than I expected. My defensive streak grew larger and I laid the my cup down with a thunk.

"Watch your language, Sam Merlotte! What business do you have cursing out Eric? What's he ever done to you?" I was staring a my boss indignantly, my arms folded in front of me.

"Oh, cher." Sam shook his head and looked at me with what could be best described as pity in his gaze. "He's never done anything to me. But no matter how much you think you might know him, Sook, Eric Northman is a cold, calculating vampire who's in the position he's in because he is ruthless. I'd hate to see you getting messed up with any vampire, but Eric Northman is in a category of his own."

"Well, I will have you know that this cold, calculating bastard you are talking about has been nothing but good and kind to me!" My blush rose when I thought of just how good he'd been. I hoped Sam wouldn't notice.

"I really hope you know what you are doing, Sookie. I'd hate to see you get in over your head." Sam took a moment to answer me, seemingly scenting the air in the house again. "Just remember this Sookie. Eric Northman is the law in these parts for vampires. Who do you think could protect you from him, if you needed it?" He was getting mad, his face flushing.

I felt a nearly hysterical laugh bubbling up inside me. I jumped up to fiddle with the coffee pot so he wouldn't see the unexplainable mirth in my eyes. "Oh, I don't know, Sam. Maybe my fairy godmother?" When I didn't get a response, I schooled my expression before turning to face him, something he could do a little of now. He sat there, his mouth hanging open an inch or two.

"Very funny, Sookie. Real thighslapper." He looked at me intently for a moment before continuing. The tension in the room seemed higher after my stupid joke. "Just remember what I said about Northman. You would be a fool to get involved with a vampire like him. He's not above lying and cheating to get what he wants."

"I'll keep it in mind, Sam. I really will." I felt bad for making him worry. I never should have told him I knew Eric. "I'm sorry to worry you, but I'll be fine. I promise you."

He was quiet for a moment before he smiled at me. It looked kind of forced, but I could see he was making an effort to be nice. He stood up before reaching out to stroke a hand across the top of my head.

"I have to get back to the bar now. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." He picked up his keys from the table and turned towards the kitchen door. "You're working tomorrow, right? I'll see you then."

I said my goodbye's and made my way back to my room, flinging myself facedown on the bed. I could smell him everywhere it was intoxicating. I'd have to change the sheets soon, but right now I just wanted to wrap myself in his scent. Sam's words echoed through my head, and I forced myself to consider his warning. I still thought he was wrong, but was I basing my decisions about Eric on the right things? How much of my good opinion was based on my dreams, and not the real man? The couple of times I've been around him, my thoughts have always gotten wrapped up in my dream lover. How much of my attraction for this Eric was real? How much was his blood influencing me? I could feel him inside, like part of him lived within me. I groaned and rolled over, throwing an arm over my eyes. I'd never been more confused.

After letting my thoughts percolate and swirl in my mind for long minutes, I had to admit defeat. There was just so much I didn't know - so much I just couldn't understand. I'd stopped believing it was anything to do with coincidence, Eric being the vampire of my dreams. Thinking of how I clearly understood when he spoke his native tongue, I had to assume there was a reason I dreamed of him all my life. It was starting to make some sense that he was real, that he saved me. My dreams were real, if that makes any sense at all. They had to be. Eric was brought to me for a reason, I just had to figure out what it was.

I wondered briefly how Eric would take it if I just blurted it all out? He would surely think me insane. Other than being able to understand his language - I'm still pretty darned unsure if I could speak it - I had zero proof of what I would be saying. I groaned again. Of course he would think I was nuts. I wonder if I'm nuts sometimes, the Crazy Sookie the people of Bon Temps had always known me to be.

Maybe I should go to Shreveport tonight. I could go back to Fangtasia and see him. My heart thudded a little harder at the thought, but really, maybe I should go see him. I still needed to know what was happening with Bill Compton. And I wanted to ask Eric what he knew of Claudine. He obviously knew something, more than I. And, of course, there was the other reason for making the long drive to Shreveport. After last night, I really wanted to see my vampire again. Call me a sappy fool, but I almost needed to see him again. I couldn't wait another three weeks to see him for another vampire emergency to necessitate me seeing him. I knew where to find him. Why not just go?

I hopped up off the bed, reluctantly shaking off Eric's scent. I was scared, terrified, actually, but I had myself psyched up now. I glanced at the clock, pleased to see it was already 5:00. I had time to make an easy dinner, do my hair and make-up and still be ready to hit the road in a couple of hours. After a quick perusal of the contents of my closet, I made a snap decision and went with it.

"Hey, Tara. It's me, Sookie. How are you?" Tara owned the best clothing shop in Bon Temps, and always found a way to swing me a deal.

"Sookie! I was just thinking about you. How are you, girl?" Tara and I had been friends for eons, but hadn't had much time to hang out lately. She'd just started dating JB DuRone, and hadn't had a lot of free time lately. I thought we'd have to make some time soon for a girl's night, with Lafayette, of course.

"I'm great, thanks. Listen, I don't really have much time, but I was wondering if you have anything there that might fit the "knock your socks off" category?" So, shoot me. I wanted to look good for Eric. "That I can afford, that is?"

"Ooohh, Sookie! Who's socks are you knocking off, girl?" Tara and Lafayette were the only people who knew of my sexual status, although my virginity was almost less than a technicality at this point. I wasn't going to tell her that. "Tell me everything!"

"You don't know him, T. I'll tell you about it later. Now, do you have something that might work?"

"Sure, sure. Hold out on me." Tara laughed. "And I do think I got the exact right dress for you, too. And it's a deal. Someone had it on lay-away, but never picked it up in time. Since it's already half paid, I can give it to you for a hell of a bargain. Come on by to see me. I think you'll love it. This one is guaran-fucking-teed to knock whatever you want off!"

An hour later, I was pulling back into my driveway. I couldn't believe who great Tara was. And she was sooo right. This dress is going to knock his socks off.

* * *

><p><strong><em>That's all for now. I hope you enjoy. I didn't have as much time to review and edit as I would have liked, so if you see any errors, please let me know!<em>**

**_Next chapter should be up on Thursday._**

**_Please tell me what you thought of it!_**


	14. Men They're all the same

**_Thanks for all the awesome support you are all showing for this story. I thank you from the bottom of my heart._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

The drive to Shreveport went by in one long blur. I was consumed with thoughts of seeing Eric again, my body fired up with just the mere thought of seeing him. It had taken me longer to get ready than I thought it would. I'd showered again, using my expensive honeysuckle body wash with abandon. I shaved until my skin was satiny smooth, and spent extra time conditioning my hair. Styling it took even longer. But I knew I looked good. I felt good.

I went over what I would say to him a thousand times in my head, but it all just sounded so corny. I fantasized about our eyes locking across a crowded room, and my vampire rushing to my side to claim me with a blistering hot kiss. Even cornier, right? I even allowed myself to indulge in a fantasy where I went back to his office to find him, only to find him stark naked and dripping wet again. I felt happy, just knowing I would be near him. The hour long ride passed with me fantasizing happy outcomes for this meeting. I never allowed myself to think otherwise.

But now I was standing in the long line of customers waiting for admittance to Fangtasia. I'd arrived just fifteen minutes ago, later than I would have liked, and after a five minute pep talk to myself in my battered old car, I got out and joined the line. I glanced at the vamp on duty at the door, wondering if Pam would be there again. I'd never screw up the courage to walk to the front of the line, but seeing an even slightly familiar face might have calmed some of the enormous butterflies in my stomach. The closer I got to him, the more our bond flared to life. I had been aware of him all evening, but in such close proximity, it was nearly overwhelming in it's intensity. He felt horribly conflicted, his emotions swaying like a pendulum, back and forth, back and forth, positive and negative. Even the way the bond was manifesting itself felt different tonight, straying from the normal pulsing feel to more of a color palette of feelings. He was all red in my mind, with brilliant sparks of gold flashing in the bond. It was dizzying.

"Oh, God. Did I do the right thing, coming here?" I thought to myself, a little wildly. My old habit of second guessing was back, and boy, was it playing with me. Was this the right decision? I was kind of assuming he wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see him. Could I be wrong?

I tried extra hard to block out the brains around me, but it wasn't easy. Everyone in line seemed to be in overdrive, and far too many of them were thinking of Eric. _My_ Eric. _My_ vampire. I really didn't want to hear their thoughts, and especially didn't want to see their memories in their heads, playing like a perverted slideshow of all things Eric. One particularly graphic visual had me swinging my body around, staring hard at the short blonde girl several people behind me in line. She was a terribly loud broadcaster, and her thoughts hammered at my brain, demanding permission for her obscene memories of my Eric to take up residence in my head. I struggled to form even rudimentary shields against her brain as images of Eric pounding into her, his extended fangs dark with blood, flooded through my mind. I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

I was suddenly really unsure if I'd made the right decision. Last night had been so special to me, but maybe I had to face facts. I was mooning over my dream lover, while the real Eric was used to the real thing. In quantity, if you could believe half the thoughts in this damned line up. Most of the women, and even a few of the men, were thinking about sex with him, and from their thoughts, it was clear that for some, it would be a repeat performance. My confidence, at an all time high as I made the long drive from Bon Temps to Shreveport, suddenly faltered. I was never more aware of the differences between my dream lover and Eric. I shook my head, frustrated at my thoughts, and took a step from the line-up. I was going home. I felt like a fool.

I was halfway back to my car when a voice rang out in the night, loud enough to cut through the excited chatter of the waiting customers.

"Why, if it isn't Sookie Stackhouse." The voice drawled out behind me, causing my steps to falter. "What an unexpected surprise."

I turned to face her, my Crazy Sookie smile threatening to split my face in two.

"Pam. How lovely to see you again." My Gran's lessons in Southern grace and good manners never failed me. "I was just leaving, actually."

"Leaving? Why, you never even came, Sookie." Pam snickered at her tacky little joke. "What's the rush, sweet cheeks?"

I stared at her, taking in her flawless appearance. She as dressed in a similar fashion as she was last night, a slightly different filmy black dress floating around her calves as she drifted closer towards me. Her blonde hair, just a couple of shades lighter than mine, was held back from her face with a blood red hairband, the color perfectly matching her expertly manicured nails and her blood red lipstick. We were nearly the same height, with Pam coming out on top by an inch or two. Her blue eyes, again just a shade or so different from mine, were heavily mascaraed, the only other make-up on her flawless face. We were really quite similar in appearance, except for her vampy pale white skin, and my glowing tan. Even noting the similarities between us, I still felt like the poor country cousin next to her. I smoothed my hands down over my new dress, suddenly self conscious. What the hell was I thinking, coming here? Could I have been more desperate?

"I was stopping by to say thank you to Eric for last night, but I just realized the time, and it's getting late now. I really have to be going, I just don't have time to wait." My words came out in a tumbled rush, my embarrassment hitting acute stages.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Pam's smile spread wide across her face. She suddenly reminded me of a Cheshire Cat. "The line up is for the vermin. You, my sweet, are anything but. You don't ever have to stand in the line. Just come to the front door and ask for me the next time you feel the need to thank my master for anything." Her grin grew wider, if at all possible. "Now, let us go in and I will buy you the drink you refused last night. I promise, this one won't be drugged." Her tinkling laughter floated around us in the cool Louisiana night air.

She linked her arm in mine, holding me firmly to her side. I briefly thought of struggling, but I didn't want to make a spectacle of myself in front of the line of ravenous fangbangers waiting for entrance. I held my head high as I walked with her towards the blood red door of the bar. At least I looked more like I belonged here tonight, I thought absently as we crossed the threshold. Tara's guaran-fucking-teed dress was a knock out, the fabric nearly a match in color to the door of the bar. When she'd hauled it out of her back room, I had thought she was nuts, but after being convinced to try it on, I had to admit she was right. The scarlet bandage wrap dress was the sexiest thing I had ever owned. The fabric clung to me in all the right places, the tightness smoothing and slimming my curves underneath. The neckline was more daring than I was used to, plunging into a low V over my breasts. The matching red and black bra Tara had assured me was absolutely necessary was pushing my girls up and out, emphasizing the deep valley shown to advantage in the new dress.

"You look spectacular, by the way. Eric is going to love that dress." Pam eyed me up and down, approval evident in her eyes. Her fangs started to slip down, just a fraction. I could see them peaking out from behind her lips as she spoke. Even half hidden, I was sure they were tiny in comparison to Eric's. "It was made for you."

She pushed by the revelers at the front of the line, snarling and snapping until a path cleared for us. I could hear the thoughts now directed at me and cringed.

_Who the hell is that?_

_Why is she so special?_

_What does she have that I don't?_

_Pam has never smiled at me like that. Why the hell not?_

_Oh, no. Is she for the master? I've never seen her before._

_I want that dress. The master would love to fuck me in that dress..._

I hurried through the door behind Pam's swaying hips. I didn't want to hear anything else about me from this group of strangers. We were inside the club in moments, Pam leading the way to the bar, snapping her fingers at a heavily tattooed vamp behind the bar. She quirked a pale blond eyebrow at me when we reached the bar, and I quickly decided on a glass of wine. I could feel a strange, electrical feeling slithering up and down my spine. The bond with my vampire was literally pulsing red in my brain, sparks shooting through me. I turned slowly, my eyes seeking him out in the dark club. It didn't take long to find him.

He sat in a large, elaborate chair in the center of a raised dais in the back of the club. I hadn't noticed it on my last visit, but then again, it wasn't filled to capacity by a huge, sprawling vampire then, either. Eric was slouched deep in the chair, one leg stretched straight out in front of him, the other bent at the knee, leaning against the carved arm of his seat. He was dressed all in black again tonight, this time in slim fitting black trousers that hugged his muscular thighs, and a well fitted black button down shirt, the first few buttons left undone to display the impressive strength of his upper chest. I could see the sleek, firm muscles of his pectorals from here, and my mouth went dry. I gratefully accepted the glass of wine Pam pressed into my hand, raising it to my lips and draining half of it before I resumed my study of the vampire I had come here to see.

One elbow rested on the arm of his chair, fist raised. He was leaning his shining blond head against his closed fist, a study in boredom. The other hand was splayed out on his powerful thigh, just inches below the denied object of my desire last night, glowing faintly against the darkness of his pants. His eyes looked shuttered from my vantage point, the lids heavy and half lowered across his brilliant blue eyes. I knew the very moment he sensed my presence in his bar. His posture changed instantly, his muscles tensing as his frame straightened. He looked fierce and dangerous as his eyes narrowed, searching through the crowd. The energy in the room changed as the master scanned the room, his face hard and focused. The fangbangers in the surrounding area watched him carefully, knowing something had changed. One or two braver souls inched closer to the raised platform from which he surveyed the room. I could feel the other voids in the room spring to attention, waiting for a sign from their leader. Would it be friend or foe?

My heart thudded painfully in my chest as his azure eyes found me. I tried to instinctively hide, taking a step backwards, trying to blend into the crowd, suddenly afraid. The look on his face was predatory, as were the feelings flowing through our bond. He didn't look like the tender lover he had been last night. He looked feral, more animalistic then I ever could have imagined. He slowly stood to his full height, never breaking our highly charged eye contact. Other than a reflexive gesture as he fisted the hand by his side, he never flinched. He stood there for an embarrassingly long time, his eyes boring through me with an unwavering focus. I was riveted in place. I couldn't tear my eyes from him as fear and lust batted for supremacy in my body. I shivered and quaked inside as I struggled to maintain my facial features in a uncompromising expression.

The bar patrons, slowly realizing something was happening all around them, started to step away, inadvertently leaving a path open, straight from Eric to me. The energy flowing between us was electric, primal, exhilarating. I struggled to draw a breath into my body as he slowly, ever so slowly, stepped towards the edge of the podium before launching off, landing with cat-like precision on two feet. The distance between us closed little by little as he took slow, measured steps towards me. The crowd watched, a silence descending in the previously raucous environment. The low, snarly growl emanating from his chest was suddenly audible in the room. I was sure he could hear my heart beating.

The way he was looking at me still raised tendrils of fear, sending them skittering down my spine. My knees wanted to buckle under the strain of his harsh emotions in the bond and I shivered under the intensity of his gaze. He faltered just a little, before coming to a complete stop twenty feet before me. I watched him silently, my fingers unknowingly squeezing the stem of my wine glass, over and over. Some distant part of my brain marveled at his ability to keep the flood of emotions storming the bond from his face. It was quite impressive. I could feel the emotional storm brewing in him, but the bond was confusing to me. Everything moved too fast for me to get a grip on what was happening with him. His eyes raked over me, desire tearing through the bond. The next minute, he was gone, moving towards the hallway leading to his office. The upheaval in the bond was stabbing at me like a thousand tiny needles. It stung, and I batted my eyes furiously, trying to stem the tide of tears threatening to fall as I watched his broad back disappear from my sight.

I drew a deep, gasping breath into my lungs before turning to hightail my way to the door, my vision blurry with unshed tears. I had to get out of here before I made the biggest fool of myself. Once again, my escape was foiled by Pam. I was face to face with Eric's second-in-command.

"Men!" She actually snorted, the noise sounding more dainty than it perhaps should. "Vampire or human, they are all the fucking same! Honestly," she huffed, "I don't know why anyone would put up with them."

"Yeah, they're something else, aren't they?" I mumbled a response, hanging my head to hide the pain I was sure she would see on my face. "Well, as fun as it was, Pam, I think I will be going now. Eric doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk." I finished speaking, letting my words trail off lamely. I knew she could see right through my carefree attitude.

Pam turned back to the bar, snapping once again at the surly looking bartender. A couple of quick motions, and she was leading me away from the door, heading deeper into the crowd. I could feel the eyes burning into me as the regulars just tried to figure out what just happened. Their thoughts slithered and trickled through my shields. I was starting to get a headache. Pam led us directly to a booth along the far side of the bar. Disregarding the "Reserved. Violators will be drained." sign, she shoved me into the booth before rapidly taking a seat across from me. Her appraising stare was making me want to squirm.

"I don't suppose you want to tell me what that was all about?" She sounded emotionless and uncaring, but I could tell she was interested in my response.

"Nope." My answer was short, sweet and to the point. How could I ever guess what the hell he was thinking? I didn't even fucking know him. Not really. Not at all.

"Ah. That's too bad. My master has been acting like an ass all evening. I thought the sight of you in that dress might have made him more pleasant." She frowned before smiling brightly at me. "Oh, well. Like I said. Men." She made a face like she'd smelled something very unpleasant.

"As much as I appreciate your concern, Pam, I really should be going." I picked up the small clutch purse I'd laid on the table. I wanted to put as much space between me, and the embarrassing scene I'd just endured. Clearly, I was wrong about him. He desired me, sure. That was obvious, but he clearly didn't want me. Not like I wanted him. I shriveled inside as I recalled how I'd begged him to make love to me properly last night, only to have him refuse me over and over. Our encounter didn't exactly live up to the fantasies I'd concocted in my head. So much for knocking his socks off.

Pam cocked her head to the side, obviously concentrating. She sighed, an odd noise coming from a vampire. She regarded me steadily for a moment before speaking.

"I would appreciate it, Sookie, if you would wait right here for a minute." A waitress appeared from nowhere, sliding another glass of wine towards me. "Enjoy your drink. I will be back in just a few minutes." She stood, sliding her small body effortlessly across the booth's banquet seating.

"I really think I should be going now." I started to make my excuses, but she was having none of it.

"I really think you should enjoy your drink and wait for me. I think we need to talk." Her tone left little room for argument, but I wasn't feeling very compliant at the moment.

"Honestly, Pam, why do you care?" I didn't even care how rude my words were.

"You are important to Eric. Therefore, you are important to me." She spoke as if her words made perfect sense, which they did not. Didn't she just see what happened with Eric? I wasn't important to him.

"I think you are wrong on that count, but I will wait for you, if you won't be long." I really didn't care what she had to say, but I didn't want to be any ruder than I already was. I was tired and just wanted to go home.

"Can I trust you to stay here? It's important, Sookie. There are things you need to know." She waited until I reluctantly nodded my head. "Good girl. Wait, now. No running off." She shook a finger at me, kinda playfully, before turning on her heel and heading for the hallway. I could only assume she was going to Eric. I didn't want to know why. I didn't even know why I was still sitting here, obeying her wishes.

I sat in my seat, sipping on my wine, trying hard not to think about the scene we had played out a few minutes ago. Negative, dreadful thoughts spun circles around my brain, slowly driving me mad. I shifted in my seat, sliding deeper into the dark corner of the booth, turning my body to better take in the crowd surrounding me. I slowly lowered my shields, letting the thoughts of others drown out my own. I relaxed slightly when I realized most people had moved on from what they hadn't understood to begin with. A few stray jealous thoughts pinged off me, but I quickly tuned them out, only concentrating on the brains not radiating sexual images. There were fewer than you might think, and I sat up a little straighter, identifying faces to go with the voices in my head. Anything to keep my tumultuous thoughts at bay.

_My wife is so going to fucking kill me. I told her I'd be home after work._ Middle aged business man nursing a scotch at the bar.

_Tonight is the night. We're going to do this_. Red-headed cowboy type at the round table in the back.

_I wonder if you gotta pay vamps to work for you. Cheap labor if you only need to supply blood._ Tired looking woman at the table a few feet from me. Her business suit was rumpled.

_I can't believe this is going to work. Steve will be so proud of us_. Redneck at the table with the red-headed cowboy.

_How am I going to tell my husband I'm leaving? The kids will be devastated._ Skinny goth looking chick, sitting with a void. Vampire.

_If we take the big one first, the girl will be easy._ Older, balding dude sitting with Redneck and Red-Headed Cowboy.

I watched the motley crew assembled at that round table. Bald Dude, Redneck and Red-head were sitting with two others, a skinny kid just barely old enough to be in a bar, and a dour faced woman. The kid was the normal mess of post adolescent hormones, watching the fangbangers dance around. His thoughts were a mess of a different kind, filled with religious imagery and he was thinking, over and over again, that God would strike him down for his impure thoughts. It struck me as strange to find such a tormented, conflicted soul in a vampire bar. The sour-puss female maintained a pretty much blank slate in her mind, but excitement was oozing from her. What a strange lot, I thought to myself, before being distracted by the hallway door swinging open. I held my breath, but it was Pam who slipped through. She looked in my direction, and it almost seemed as if she were disappointed I saw her.

I kind of looked away, pretending not to watch her movements, but I was sickly fascinated. I watched her under my lashes as she stood to the side, her eyes moving rapidly through the crowd. Finding what she was looking for, she walked quickly, purposefully toward a tall, slim brunette standing on the edge of the dance floor. She leaned in and spoke briefly to the girl, who looked super excited to be approached by a vampire. I tried to narrow in on her thoughts, suddenly curious about Pam's mission. I narrowed onto the girl's thoughts just as Pam leaned in and spoke again, her eyes holding the brunette's gaze before darting her eyes my way.

_I can't believe I'm getting this lucky!_ The girl squealed in her mind before her brain became an interesting blank. Not a void, like a vampire. Just as if she simply stopped thinking anything at all. I narrowed my eyes and concentrated hard, trying to pick up anything. Nothing but a blank. I sank back as far into the shadowy corner of the booth as I considered what I was watching. The girl's face, pretty but nothing special, was lit up like she'd just won the damned lottery, but her mind remained a frustrating blank. Very strange.

I watched from the relative safety and privacy of my booth seat as Pam lead the girl back towards the hallway, ushering her in front of her before very firmly closing the door behind her. I thought I imagined the click of a lock turning, but there was no way I could have heard that over the din in the bar. What the hell was that about? I shook my head before drinking some more of my wine. I would wait another few minutes, and if Pam didn't return by then, I'm out of here. I tried to tell myself I didn't care about what was happening behind that closed door, but I was obsessed. I couldn't let it go at all. I watched the girls friends pile together on the side of the dance floor. They were shrieking with excitement, jumping up and down with their arms around each other. I heard, out loud this time, one of the girls call loudly for a toast. With glasses raised, the girls let out a loud whoop before they yelled out their cheer.

"Three cheers for Steph! Hooray! The master finally picked her!"

I sat completely still in my seat, a coldness descending over my heart. I suspected something was hinky with Pam's appropriation of the girl, but I hadn't wanted to consider the sordid details. My stomach lurched as the girl's light-hearted cheer echoed in my head. I grabbed my purse, and made to slide out of the booth. I could feel the bile rising in my throat. I was done with this night. Done with it. I was going home.

"Sorry I was gone so long." Damn, damn and double damn. Pam was sliding into her vacated seat opposite me. Was she never going to let me leave this damned bar?

I glared balefully at her. I couldn't understand why she was being so nice to me. Did she or did she not just procure dinner, and probably more, for my vampire, the one who'd just shunned me in a very public way? I was suddenly furious.

"I'm sure you had much more important things to occupy your time, Pam." I sat and sulked in her general direction. "What did you want to tell me? I really want to leave now, so if it's alright with you, I'd like to hurry this up." My voice was a cold as ice, and I didn't care. My heart was breaking, and I didn't want to hear anything about the man, well, vampire, responsible.

"First, I want to tell you we have Bill Compton in our custody." A maniacal grin fluttered on her deceptively angelic countenance before disappearing. "You don't need to worry about him any more. Eric wanted to make sure you knew."

I should have been delighted to hear my troubles with Bill were over, but I couldn't really bring myself to care to much. Not now. I'd celebrate later, when it didn't feel as though my heart were going to break apart.

"Thank you. I appreciate you telling me." I refused to mention Eric's part in this. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes." The petite vampire tapped her nails on the table, keeping a steady rhythm. It was annoying the heck out of me. "My master would like to know why you came here tonight."

I felt my anger and hurt percolating inside me, bubbling away. The truth was, I was ashamed by my reasons for coming here, ashamed by all the foolish girly fantasies I'd had of him. I'd be damned if I'd say I came here to see him, awash in hormones. Especially while he was doing whatever he was doing with Steph, his flavor of the night.

"You know what? If he was that interested, he could have asked me himself. He didn't." He didn't even say a word to me, I added silently. He just looked at me like he wanted to eat me, and not in a good way.

"Oh, Sookie. Things are never what they seem, just remember that. And Eric can be the biggest ass in the world, just remember that, too." Pam looked at me head on, her expression sympathetic. "Believe it or not, he can be trusted. Especially where you are concerned."

I gave an exceptionally loud and rude snort in response. Trust him? With what? I still felt sick to my stomach, and I was in no mood for cryptic conversations. The rage I had been struggling to contain burst forth, bubbling up inside me until it was free. I leaned across the table as far as I could go, my face inches from Pam's.

"Are you out of your ever-loving mind? Trust him? I would sooner trust a snake in the swamp." I hissed my words into her surprised face. She sat silently and took the barrage of hate I was throwing her way. "Things are never what they seem? What the hell is that supposed to mean? It seems to me that Eric made a god damned choice not to talk to me. That is how it seems, Pam. And then it seemed like you were kind enough to arrange a _meal_ for him" I put as much sarcastic inference as I could into meal. "Tell me, Pam. You tell me what exactly is not as it seems."

"Oh, Sookie." Pam returned my stare with what I decided was pity in her face. "Maybe you are right, and things are just as they appear. Or maybe, just maybe, you are blowing this up into something it's not." She sat calmly in the booth, not flexing a single muscle. I let her words sink in, and the fury rose up in me anew.

"You think so? Well, you know what? There's an easy way to decide which of us is right." I swung my legs free of the bench and was on my feet, heading for the hallway door before Pam had a chance to blink. I was pushing the door open when she caught up with me.

"I won't stop you, Sookie." She spoke quietly, her eyes holding mine. "I know the truth. Do you?"

I completely ignored her, instead I headed directly to Eric's office door, my feet carrying me as fast as they could in the four inch heels I had fucking worn to impress him. Argh! I screamed silently, letting my anger comfort me. I stopped right outside his door, my hand on the doorknob. I scanned the room with my extra sense and found exactly what I thought I would. One void - Eric. One weird blank mind - Steph, Eric's dinner. I turned and looked at Pam one last time.

"The only truth that matters is the one behind this door."

I turned the knob in my hand and swung the door to his office open. One step inside the door, and the entire sordid tableau was laid bare in front of me.

I took one look around before settling my eyes on Eric Northman, the vampire I thought was mine. His feelings washed over me in the bond. Desire. Hunger. Anger. Sorrow. Fear. Lust. I absorbed them all into me with a straight face, resisting the impulse to sink to my knees and vomit. I wouldn't let him see me cry. I uttered one single word before turning and walking out the door.

"Bastard."

* * *

><p><strong><em>This one is shorter than I wanted, but I really just didn't have time to edit and finish the next scene, which is Eric's POV. I wanted to get this chapter out to you all, so you will have to wait and see what happens next. Hoping to have the next chapter posted tomorrow.<em>**

**_Hope you enjoy - let me know what you all think! Your reviews are like crack! I just can't get enough. _**


	15. The Bastard Explains

Eric's POV

It was close to dawn when I'd finally pulled myself from her luscious body, regret filling me. I hadn't shared my daytime rest with anyone other than Godric and Pam, but I wanted nothing more than to slide back into her bed and wrap myself in her warmth. I didn't want to be alone. It was an unsettling experience for me. I was lost in my thoughts when I felt her small, warm hand upon my back.

"Eric?" I turned to face her, still somewhat lost in my thoughts. "Um, I - ah, I just wanted to say thank you. And to say I'm sorry it wasn't better for you."

I groaned internally. She's sorry for not making it better? She was so unusual, this girl. What I'd experienced with her was unlike any other experience in my life. It had torn and pulled at something inside me, provoking my instinct to care for and protect her. It was not normal, not for me. I leaned towards her, barely brushing my lips against hers before pulling back. There was no time for anything more, as much as I wanted it.

"Lover, what are you saying? You are a delight, you are delicious. I enjoyed every minute." I grinned at her. It was so much more than just enjoyable. "Much more than I would have thought possible, actually. I should be thanking you."

The weight of my years pressed against me as I looked at her. This girl has been a bigger constant in my life than even Godric has been. A thousand years have passed since I last made love to a woman. I've fucked plenty, sure, but the last time I can honestly say I made love was with this girl lying before me, the very night before my human life ended and Godric made me into the vampire I am today. I have felt love for Godric, as my maker and friend, and for Pam, as my child and confidant, but I have felt no love for any other creature since I was turned. It occurred to me then. This little slip of a girl, so unafraid of vampires and creatures who go bump in the night, might be my only hope for ever experiencing that particular feeling again. I can wait for her.

I bent forward to meet her lips again, deepening the kiss for just a moment. I leaned my forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. I reverted to my native tongue when I spoke again, not willing to lay myself completely bare before her.

"You have haunted me for a thousand years, my lover. Waiting for you is second nature to me now."

I kissed her before whispering goodnight. I was out the door and in the sky a second later. The sky was lightening quickly and I pushed myself as hard as I could to make it home in time. If I had to, I would go to ground for the day, but I desperately wanted to make it home. Her scent clung to me, permeating my skin and hair. I wanted nothing more than to make it to my own bed where her scent wouldn't be wasted. I wanted to wake up smelling her.

I made it home with only a minute or two to spare. Using the last of my strength, I fell face forward onto my bed, rolling over and over until her scent was everywhere. My eyes drifted shut and I was out for the day. Or so I thought.

_"My warrior. My beautiful warrior. Come to me." She beckoned me with one finger, her movements slow and languorous._

_I raised myself from the pool of water I was submerged in and stalked towards the shore line. She had me bewitched. I would do her bidding for an eternity, if she'd let me. I made my way to her side, vigorously shaking my body as I came closer. The water sprayed from my body to land in wet splatters all over her nude body. She squealed and squirmed on the flattened grass and I felt myself harden as I looked at her. I couldn't believe she had this much power over me. We'd made love three times already this afternoon. I was only mortal, but my cock was showing unnatural abilities around this woman._

_I dropped down beside her in the warm grass. She rolled to her back and spread her arms, welcoming me against her magnificent breasts. She looked so soft, so fragile in the afternoon sun. I can't believe how lucky I am to find her like this. I felt such an overpowering feeling for her, it must be love. I had thought I was in love with a girl in the neighboring village when I was a just boy, and had actually kicked up quite a bit when my father had denied my request to marry her. I wanted to laugh, thinking about it now. It was nothing compared to how I felt now. Even my wife, bless her departed soul, had brought no love to my life. Our union had been a forced union, not a match made for love. She was my brother's widow, and as such it had fallen to me to marry her and care for her young. She'd died last spring after giving birth to her last child, a boy who'd died alongside her. I knew she didn't love me, either._

_But this enchanting creature was different. She was beguilingly beautiful, her long golden hair an exact match for mine, as were her bright blue eyes. Her body was crafted by the gods themselves, surely, as I have never seen another so rapturous. She was made for love. I could love her forever, if she would let me. But every time I brought it up, she would simply smile sadly and reply the same way every time._

_"Forever is a long time, my warrior. Be careful what you ask for."_

_She refused to talk about it anymore, which maddened me to no end. I couldn't understand why she held so much of herself back. We hadn't known each other very long, but there was so much she wouldn't tell me. The only thing I knew was her name. Susannah. I knew nothing of where she came from, or where she disappeared to when she left me. It frustrated and maddened me when I couldn't pry her secrets from her. I wanted to know everything about her, but she always held back so much of herself. She claimed the only important thing that mattered was the time we spent together, that we shouldn't waste time on what couldn't be. Right now, I believed she was right._

_I rolled over and took her in my arms, reveling in the feel of her soft, silken skin against my body. She pulled me closer, opening her mouth beneath my searching lips. I stroked the golden skin of her hip, spreading my fingers wide, grasping her tighter to me. My fingers slipped, unable to find traction. She felt slippery._

_I looked down at her beneath me. Bile rose in my throat and I shouted out my sudden fear._

_She was dripping in blood. It poured down the length of her glorious body, falling from the gaping wound in her throat. She was dead. She was gone. The love of my life as no more._

I woke suddenly, my body jerking instinctively against the pull of the sun. It felt like my long dead heart gave a lurching leap in my chest, but I knew this was impossible.

When I woke again, I knew the sun had finally set. The cold, tight vise around my heart eased just a little. At least, I thought bitterly, I would have no more dreams this night. I felt as I often did when waking from my nightmares of her - sluggish, tired, hurt and confused. My rest had been broken at least five times today, five times I could remember jerking awake from my daytime slumbers, my thoughts filled with horrific images of blood, death and failure. Vampires are not supposed to wake during the day. It's unheard of. But then again, vampires aren't supposed to fucking dream, either, but I did.

During my early years with Godric, I had begun to think I was a defective vampire, that there was something wrong with me. Godric had done his very best to console me, but his efforts fell mainly on deaf ears. The best explanation he was ever able to offer was my ability to dream and wake in the day was simply another vampire gift. Even as a young, green vampire, I didn't believe him. This didn't feel like a gift. It felt like a punishment. I had vampire gifts, I knew the difference. If my unexplained abilities were a gift, I'd like to know who gave them to me. I would rip them from limb to fucking limb. It took me years to move beyond the thought, and simply accept what happened to me every night.

I rolled over in my bed, burying my head into my pillow. My senses were immediately assaulted with her scent, the heady mix of her arousal and satisfaction, mixed with the sweet notes that were quite simply just her. It tantalized and tormented me. There was a purity and lightness to her, and her scent, that would not fucking leave me. I hadn't know another to ever smell this beguiling, this tempting. It may be partly due to her fairy blood, but it wasn't purely the fairy difference. There was something about her scent that called to me, beckoning me relentlessly to her. I was never tempted to this degree by any of the others. And none of them had the undeniable lightness of Sookie. She was pure temptation.

And she scared me.

She scared me in a way I've never been scared, the way a fearsome vampire should never feel. I snorted into my pillow, punching the bed beside me. If anyone knew the truth of my feelings, I'd be a finally dead vampire. Ashes to ashes, dirt to dirt. She would be death of me yet. I hauled the pillow over my head, and wondered to myself if it would be better to just go claim the damned girl and keep her in my bed forever. We would never have to leave the bed, ever again. We could just stay here, safe and alive, for the rest of time.

Holy FUCK, Northman! What the hell is wrong with you? The absurdity of my thoughts struck me with the force of an anvil to the head. What was she doing to me?

The legendary Eric Northman, ruthless, badass, Sheriff of Area Five, the thousand year old Viking warrior with an unbeaten winning streak, afraid to leave his bed because of some fucking slip of a girl. Unbelievable! I should be staked. I should stake myself for being such a sappy fool.

I rose from my bed, determined to put the night behind me. Some perverse instinct caused me to choose not to shower, leaving her scent percolating on my skin. I quickly washed my hands and face, very determinedly not thinking of her, not analyzing why I chose to keep myself marked in her scent. It wasn't smart of me, and if I had been in any way in my right mind, I would have bathed myself in bleach. Instead, I turned to my closet and pulled clothes to wear. My mood was as black as my wardrobe. Why had I thought the nightmares would stop now?

I arrived at Fangtasia early that evening, unlocking the door and letting myself into the darkened club. I rarely arrived this early, but tonight was special. Thanks to the intervention of Sookie's fairy kin, and Pam's quick thinking, we had Bill Compton in custody. I grinned suddenly, a sight that would send fear into the hearts of most humans. This night was starting to look up.

I wanted to go immediately to him, to torture the remaining life from his body. But making him wait would be more effective, and more satisfying. He would be awake now, too, and awaiting his punishment. He would get it, but not before I let the bastard suffer it out for a while. It might loosen his tongue, I still needed to know his and Sophie-Ann's plans for Sookie. I had to resolve this soon, or I would go crazy.

I made my way to the office, slumping into the chair behind my desk. Sookie. What was she, beyond her mostly human roots? Her fairy heritage would interest the Queen greatly, but I didn't think the Queen was aware of her true bloodline. If she were, she was crazier than I thought. To mess with the kin of the Prince of Fae was like signing your own death warrant. Sophie-Ann was a lot of things, many of them stupid and ill-conceived, but even she would think twice before risking war with the Fae. Especially now. With the Vampire Rights bill looming, it would be political suicide.

What the hell angle was she playing? The Queen's pet had let it slip to Pam that Sookie supposedly knew things she wasn't privy to. What did that mean, exactly? The girl had specified to Pam that Sookie's knowledge was of human matters, not vampire. Was she a god damned psychic? I had know one psychic in my long existence. I usually chose not to spare her a thought, but her words, her final vision, had stuck with me through the years. I tried to clear my mind, to focus on the matters at hand, but my mind wandered back to that night, so long ago.

_I sank my fangs into the brunette's warm throat, letting her blood flow down the back of my throat. She tasted different from most, an almost spicy quality to her blood. I waited for the bloodlust to rise inside me, for my cock to harden and pump towards release. But it never came. Instead, my mind was literally overtaken by images, what I would now call snapshots, of a sort._

_A beautiful blonde woman danced in the sunshine in front of me, spinning wildly in circles, her laughter ringing out all around. She whirled like a dervish, her movements faster and faster, causing her hair to fly around her face, obscuring her face from my view._

_"Eric! Eric!" She called my name, her voice light and musical. "I'm so happy, baby! Watch this!" With that, she tumbled and flew through the air, her scandalously short skirt flying up and around her waist, exposing her rear end, clad only in what could charitably be described as underthings. It was truly nothing more than a scrap of provocative lace._

_I took another pull of the psychic's blood, swallowing hard. The vision changed, morphing into something completely different._

_I was lying in bed, a sumptuous, high bed surrounded by soft, comfortable bed linens, draped in the finest bedding I had ever seen. It was a bed fit for a King, but I had never encountered such luxury in my life. We were surrounded with items I found strange and unfamiliar. A large black box, surely the work of witchcraft, sat on a table at the far end of the room. It was showing moving images I couldn't comprehend, everything was so foreign, so unbelievable. Crowds of vampires appearing in public, fangs flashing everywhere. Large crowds, the like of which I'd never seen, gathered in celebration. Their dress looked strange, as were the machines moving faster than horses. The moving images slowed as a scantily dressed female spoke into a round ball she held to her face. She spoke in English, a language I was beginning to learn, but hadn't yet mastered. Her words were filled with excitement and energy, but I struggled to grasp the text of what she was saying, only grasping the idea that someone had granted rights to vampires. Everything coming from that black box was confounding to me, it's unexplained power made me nervous._

_A bundle of energy came flying at me, blonde curls bouncing around me as she straddled my body, her mouth raining kisses everywhere she could reach._

_"It passed! It passed, Eric!" She shrieked the words, her excitement evident. "Oh, Eric, just think about it. We can do it now. Legally, and all, I mean." Her sunny face shone down on me as she leaned forward to lay a loud, sloppy kiss on my lips. It made a smacking sound when she pulled away, laughing._

_"Get up, lazybones! Get up! I want to celebrate!" She jumped off me as soon as quickly as she landed. Her bottom swayed in the most appealing fashion as she made her way to the doorway on the far side of the room. "I'm going to shower. Care to join me, love of my life?"_

_I pulled away from the brunette's neck with shock. I could feel fury rising, fighting it out with the disbelief burning hotly in my veins. What the FUCK had she just done to me? It was only by the sheer force of my curiosity that I hadn't drained her yet._

_In a flash, I had her pinned to the wooden floor beneath me, my knee digging viciously into her chest, my hands tightening around her still bleeding throat. I squeezed, applying just enough pressure to cause pain without her blacking out. She was going to tell me what I fucking needed to know, or she would die here tonight. I leaned my face down to hers, stopping menacingly just inches from her face._

_"What are you?" I growled at her, my large body shaking with the power I was trying to restrain. I wanted to kill. I wanted to maim. I wanted to destroy and wreak havoc. But first, I wanted to know what this bitch had just done to me. I needed to know what she knew of the girl. I recognized her right away, even though she was markedly different in many ways. She was Susannah - or at least whatever passed as Susannah these days._

_The woman's eyes bulged out slightly and her mouth worked, but no sound emerged. I loosened my grip on her throat just enough to allow her air to speak._

_"I have visions." The sharp aroma of fear wafted from her body._

_"Visions? You are psychic? What did you do to my head? How did you get inside me?" I roared out the words, giving her limp body a shake._

_"When you bit me, a vision happened. I don't know why you saw it." She gasped out the words, her voice sounding strangled. "Whatever you saw, it will happen."_

_I felt like snapping her neck right there and the. She expected me to believe I would one day sit in the daylight and watch some future version of my long dead former lover play in the afternoon sun? I could kill her just for that. It had been over 700 years since I last felt the sun touch my skin._

_"How do you know her? How? Where is she? Tell me me what you know." I stared into her eyes, projecting every ounce of my glamouring ability onto her. Fueling my rage even further, I felt complete resistance to my sway. I picked her up from her floor and flung her towards the bed. I was stalking towards her, my fury fully evident, when her next words stopped me in my tracks._

_Her mouth opened, and she began to speak, but it was not her rough Austrian accent that came from her mouth, nor was it her harsh and guttural tones. Instead, the words that tumbled from her mouth were in English, and the sweet tones belonged to the golden blonde girl from the vision. Her voice was sweet, and richly modulated, her accent charming, slow and sweet._

_"Viking. Listen before it's too late." I stared at her, shock etched in my face. "You are doomed to a bleak, misery filled existence, alone and lonely, Eric. You must find your true heart's desire and surrender all. Only then will there be salvation. Death will follow you until you do. Don't fail me, my vampire."_

Hearing the words again, even if it were just inside my head, snapped me out of the trance I was under. I stood, pacing the office floor. I had kept the psychic, whose name I do not even recall, by my side for weeks, drinking from her frequently and questioning her relentlessly, all to no end. No further visions were transmitted, and I eventually had to admit to myself that this woman, this psychic, didn't know anything. She was a conduit, nothing more. I eventually drained her one evening, after waking from a particularly bloody series of dreams. I drank from her over and over again that night, an insatiable need to see just one more glimpse overcoming my usual restraint and sensibility.

Looking back on it now, I had to grin, remembering my wild responses and thoughts towards the "black box of witchcraft". When I'd finally seen my first television, many decades ago now, I had nearly fell over with laughter, choking and crying tears of blood. Pam, who'd purchased the unit for me as a surprise, had been terribly offended by my reaction and refused to speak to me for days.

But I was no closer to knowing what my true heart's desire was, nor did I feel any more prepared to "surrender all". I didn't know what that meant, but I don't surrender. You don't get to my age by accident, you get there by never surrendering, never giving in. The only lasting desire I have ever had would be to stop the nightmares, and end this vicious cycle that has defined so much of my long life. After almost 300 years of analyzing every moments of the visions the psychic bestowed, I was only one step closer to unraveling the mystery. I knew now the girl from the visions was Sookie. I was positive. But that still didn't give me the answers I sought, only added new layers to the puzzle. Was she a psychic, as well?

I heard Pam moving through the bar, coming my way. I halted all the conflicted thoughts running through my mind, and thought forward to the task at hand. Bill Compton. I rose to greet my loyal child at the door. I could feel her excitement through our bond. She was excited, no doubt about it. Between us, Compton surely wouldn't have a chance.

Hours later, though, I was sitting on my throne, enthralling the vermin, as Pam would say. My mood was blacker than ever, and I'm sure the vermin realized it. For once, I wasn't approached every five minutes by some worthless bloodbag offering themselves to me. It was getting tiresome, really, and tonight I was in no mood whatsoever. Compton, the gutless, spineless bastard he is, refused to speak of his reasons for pursuing Sookie. I knew he was here at the behest of our Queen, but he didn't even provide that much information. The bastard steadfastly refused to speak, no matter what manner of punishing pain Pam inflicted on his body. Infuriatingly, he kept repeating the same words over and over. Bring Sookie to see him, and he would talk. No matter how often I assured him he would never see Sookie again, he stuck to his annoying mantra.

I would be damned if I wanted to let Sookie anywhere near him, but his surprising resistance to pain had us in a bind. We didn't have time to let him rot and fester, to draw the information out over time. Sophie-Ann would surely start looking for him, and Sookie, when he failed to produce her as promised. We needed to know, and we needed it now. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I knew I would have to talk to Sookie, and inform her of the Queen's interest in her, but I had hoped to be better prepared when I did. If I didn't know the real interest Sophie had in her, I couldn't effectively identify the threat. Now it looked like I might have to ask her to see him again, after what she went through last night due to him, because he was resolutely hanging on to the upper hand. It made me want to lash out. My anger and distress was sitting on me like a black cloud, wrapping me in darkness.

The conversation I had with Pam earlier certainly didn't help my mood, either. After but one brief meeting, my child had become quite enamored of Sookie, and as always, was unafraid to champion her favorite.

"You're smelling especially delicious tonight, Eric." She gave me a fangy grin, her eyes flashing. Sookie's scent still lingered on my skin. "Is that eau de fairy I smell?" She snickered lightly at her own joke.

She had just finished running area business by me, and reviewed the books for the club. Fangtasia was doing well. Business concluded, though, my child was on to pleasure. It was my own fault, really. I'd raised my vampire progeny as a mini me. I was as much at fault for her deplorable impertinence as she was.

"None of your business, Pam." I snapped at her, while keeping my head down, ostensibly studying the paperwork on my desk.

"She really is quite something, Eric. I have to say, I'm impressed." My shameless child wasn't going to give up. "The way she looked, all splashed in blood, climbing you like you were her very own Mt. Everest. Mmmm."

Silence fell. I refused to answer her impudence, and she was taking the time to conceive her next jab at me. Surprisingly, she didn't follow through, but came up with a different knee-whacker.

"Have you exchanged more blood yet?" She looked at me, her face impassive.

"No." I answered the question on autopilot, really, my thoughts suddenly burning with the images her question evoked.

"Why not?" She posed this question seriously, but in a totally dispassionate tone. It was as if she were asking me if we should order another case of alcohol. My anger and frustration, seething barely beneath the surface all evening, erupted. In the blink of a human eye, my rage spilled forward and with a violent swing of my arm, everything on my desktop went crashing to the floor. I jumped to my feet and was around the desk in a second, giving the computer monitor a kick, sending it flying to land in a broken heap on the floor.

"What the fuck do you mean, why not?" I hissed at her, my face contorted with rage. "This is _my blood_ you're offering up so fucking freely!"

I let loose a volley of ancient curses, many of them directed at Niall Brigant. I had given my blood freely, willingly the first time, to heal her, even though I still didn't understand the ferocity of the instinct that drove me that night. It was if I were compelling myself to do it, to save her life with my blood. We were connected, bound by blood magic, a bond now proving itself to be far stronger and more powerful than I had counted on. I kept the connection dampened down as much as possible, for my own sanity. The last thing I needed was to feel her. Not when I could barely stop thinking of her.

Pam shrugged. "You gave it once to this girl. I was just wondering if you gave any credence to Brigant's request. You smell powerfully of Sookie, so I'm sure you spent the night doing more than talking. And, the way you are reacting to everything involving this girl, I can imagine you might have thought about Niall's request as you were fucking. Sorry." Blunt as always, that was Pam.

And she wasn't too far off the mark, either. In between bouts of satisfying the most truly erotic virgin I had ever known, the few coherent thoughts I managed all involved Niall's request. The restraint I'd managed to pull off last night was unprecedented. All I wanted to do was bury myself in her hot, tight, welcoming body and bury my fangs in her flesh, just so I could take a part of her inside me. The idea of bonding myself to her flitted in and out of my mind the entire night.

"We weren't fucking." I ground the words out between clenched teeth. Pam stared back at me. She looked shocked.

"Did she refuse you?" Pam gasped the question out, as if the idea were completely foreign to her. Granted, she had been watching women throw themselves at me for nearly a couple of hundred years, but I think Sookie would surprise her. She had been more than eager to have me last night, but I will never know how much of that was the drug Compton forced on her, and how much was based on a real desire for me, Eric Northman. For some reason, it was far more important to me than it should have been.

"No."

"But, Eric - I don't understand - the way you smell?" She was uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

I didn't know how to answer her. For once, I had something in my life that I wanted to protect even from Pam. I didn't know if she would understand, hell, I didn't understand. I knew she wouldn't understand my reluctance to give her the details, though. My child and I had shared everything through the years, including each other and our various partners. We'd fucked and fed together many times. She'd never seen me exhibit any attachment or feelings for a human. It just wasn't something I did.

"That's enough for now, Pamela." Using her full name would get her attention, even if the no nonsense tone I used did not.

"All right." She was pouty, but mostly compliant. "But you still have to decide Eric. I'm sure the fairy will be back to see you soon. Have you thought about it?"

"That's enough, I said." I returned to my seat and sat down. "Why don't you go check on the door?" She was dismissed and she got it immediately.

"Very well. I'll send Ginger in later to clean up." Pam carefully stepped around the mess scattered everywhere. It looked like a tornado had hit my desk and spread the debris in a wide waste field. I'd need a new monitor, too.

And now here I am, on display in my own business like a fucking piece of meat. My thoughts have progressively gotten blacker through the evening. I feel charged, a pent up energy building in my limbs even as I slouched in my chair. I looked as bored and uninterested as I usually did, but inside I was fairly seething with unsettling emotion. I needed release. I needed to pick up my sword and take on an army. I needed to hunt. I needed to fuck. It had been a couple of weeks since I'd satisfied any of my baser appetites and the strain was showing. I was unaccustomed to denial. I scanned the room briefly, but couldn't work up the necessary enthusiasm for any of the pathetic fang bangers filling my bar to capacity. She was fucking ruining me. Ruining me and I hadn't even taken her yet, not her body, not her blood. For the first time ever, I was the one giving unselfishly. It was uncharacteristic of me and the abrupt change in my behavior didn't suit me.

I had been my own master for many, many years now, and even when I was still with Godric as a young vampire, he still gave me all the freedom of choice I needed. I'd never been a slave to anyone, but I was starting to feel a slave to her. I couldn't free her from my thoughts and she was slowly consuming me, the fire she'd ignited slowly burning me to death. Thoughts of Niall's request settled on me. If he was to believed, the woman the fates had thrown back at me time after time was bound to me already in ways I had no knowledge of. Niall himself used that word - he said it was fated to be. His parting words came back to me.

"More hangs in the balance than what I can tell you now. When the time is right, you will understand why I have approached you as I have. Do not take my words lightly. Together, you could be invincible, do you understand me? Apart, you are vulnerable. Think on this."

I didn't know what to make of his words. I couldn't make a rational decision based on Niall's word alone. The entire situation felt off to me, like there was an important piece of the puzzle being hidden from me. It pulled my nerves tighter, a nervous sensation slithering down my spine. The tension rose inside me until I thought I would snap. The beast inside me beat against me, struggling to free itself.

I slouched further into my padded seat, one arm raised to support my tired head. I should just fucking leave before I killed someone, but just as the thought occurred to me, I realized some of the pressure inside me was my blood bond with Sookie springing to life. I straightened in my chair, my eyes searching the crowd with focus and determination. I took a deep sniff of the air, but I was carrying so much of her scent on me, all my actions did was to inflame the beast even further.

And then I found her, standing in the dark room like a beacon of light, her soft golden hair, which had slid all over my naked body last night, shone like a beacon, guiding me to her. I stood, slowly, trying to quell the rabid urges swelling through me. I maintained the eye contact we had, even though the magnetic pull I felt from her gaze unsettled me further. I released the hold I had on the bond, allowing her to swell to life within me. I stood on the edge of the stage, struggling under the influx of her emotions, feeling her tentative desire and lust seep into me, filling my dead body with life. I clenched my fist at my side, willing myself to calm, staring at her.

The crowd seemed to part before me, a path straight to her opening up like an invitation. As she was fully revealed to my gaze, my entire body clenched, every cell in my body screaming for me to go to her. The beast inside me, unsatisfied, bitter and angry, raged on, making me see red. The scent of her arousal still clinging to me from last night played havoc with my heightened senses, sending my primal side into overdrive.

_Take her._

_Claim her._

_Make her mine._

_Fuck her. Bite her. Take her. Mark her. Keep her. Fuck her._

She was a vision, a glorious goddess sent to destroy me. Her hair was curled and piled loosely on her head, with tendrils framing her face, and longer curls tumbling to fall over one shoulder, baring the other side of her neck to my gaze. Her dress was a work of art, form fitting, revealing and demure, all at the same time. The blood red fabric clung to her frame perfectly, emphasizing the perfection of her curvaceous body. Her magnificent breasts demanded my attention, framed to perfection in the deep V of her neckline. The seductive dichotomy between the obvious sexual appeal of her appearance and the innocence I knew lay just beyond was my undoing.

I took a couple of steps forward and launched myself from the side of the stage.

The beast had won.

I stalked toward her with a predators determination, keeping her firmly in my sights. A deep, rumbling growl came to life inside me, warning all to keep back. I was the alpha male here. I wouldn't hesitate to kill to keep my prey. The beast, the animal, the savage inside me urged me forward, my body tensing with anticipation of the hunt. I had close the gap to half when a flutter of fear feathered against my mind, itching and tickling me, trying to capture my attention. I slowed, my steps faltering as I tried to shake off the stray emotion. The beast jumped into the fray, urging me on, but I beat it down, concentrating hard on her face.

The fear was hers. She was afraid of me.

Her fear swept through me, it's aphrodisiac qualities making the beast purr.

I _wanted_ to fuck her. Bite her. Rub myself all over her. I _wanted_ to make her mine, to stake my claim for all to see.

My thousand years of power and control were the only reason I was able to turn and run, remove myself from her before I threw her down on the dirty floor of Fangtasia and fucked her until I'd had my fill. I returned to my office, kicking over the chairs in frustration. I paced the length of the office, over and over, trying to still my raging desires. All I wanted to do was go back to her, sweep her up and take her as mine. It was all I could do to remain in my office. I called to Pam using our bond. I needed blood if I had any chance of regaining control.

"Master." She appeared a minute later, her expression stiff. I could tell she was upset with me. "Care to tell me what the hell just happened out there?"

"I don't fucking know!" I shouted back at her, not caring if the world heard me. "I can't fucking control myself around her. I nearly just fucked her in the middle of the fucking bar! I wouldn't have even given a fuck if she even wanted it!" I might be justifiably proud of my control, but I was a beast at heart, an animal. "I need blood. Bring me two Royalty." All synthetics sucked, but Royalty was more palatable than True Blood.

"Eric, forgive me for bringing this up, but when was the last time you fed? Really fed? That synthetic shit will rot your brain, you know."

Pam only drank synthetic when she had to for appearances, like I used to before I tasted Sookie. Everything leads back to her. I couldn't even feed properly because of my obsession with her. I made a snap decision, ordering Pam to comply before I could change my mind.

"You're right. It's been weeks, and I need sustenance, not synthetic. Bring me a donor - just make sure they don't look like her, Pam." I ignored the surprised look she gave me and continued pacing the office. She as right. I'm a vampire, not a man. I need blood to survive.

"Now? You want to do this now?" Pam was clearly shocked and surprised.

"Is she still here?" Pam knew who I was talking about.

"Yes, I asked her to wait."

"Then be very discrete and return quickly. There's much to discuss, and unless I feed and get some control back, I won't be able to see her." I couldn't let her walk out of here, but if I faced her now, I'm not sure I could control myself. Pam slipped out without a word, but I could feel her disappointment weighing heavily in me. I understood her point, it wasn't ideal, but I had done this to myself. I would wait for Sookie to leave, but I didn't have the luxury of time on my hands.

I took several deep breaths into my lungs, forcing the air deep into unused tissues, forcing my chest up and out. I held the breath inside, forcing my muscles to stretch further. It helped to calm the animal urges still pulsing in my system, and I stretched my arms up over my head, forcing more air into my lungs. I could feel her hurt feelings flowing through me, her anger and curiosity filling me with what felt like shame, an unaccustomed emotion for me. Her scent still clung to me, and I acknowledged the bad mistake I'd made in wearing her like a blanket all night. Her intoxicating scent had played with me all night. I needed to shower and clear my head before I could speak with Sookie.

Pam returned in minutes with a tall, slim brunette with a passably pretty face. She couldn't have been further from Sookie. She looked a little glazed about the eyes, and I shot a questioning look at Pam.

"I took the liberty of pre-glamouring her. I thought it might make it easier. I can lift it, if you prefer." Her tone was curt, her words clipped. She was still pissed with me.

"No." I took a step towards the girl. She was right. It did make it a bit easier. I leaned forward and licked a spot on her neck before sinking my fangs down. It wasn't satisfying in the least and I struggled to take the four or five mouthfuls I swallowed. I made a quick swipe of my tongue across her wounds to stem the flow of blood, but I couldn't make myself be very thorough. I took a quick look and knew her wounds would close on their own in a few minutes.

"I'm going to shower." I turned and walked away, barely noticing as Pam sat the girl on my couch and instructed her not to move. She had a system for glamouring the girls who'd passed through this office. In order for the glamour to be effective, the girl would have to stay for a few minutes so her friends wouldn't be suspicious, long enough to be reasonably thought I'd fucked her. I'd call Pam to retrieve her after my shower.

Maybe then I would be able to face Sookie.

I had just toweled off from the shower and was standing naked in front of my closet, picking a fresh set of clothes that didn't carry her scent, when the door opened suddenly. I spun around quickly when I sensed who it was. My heart sank as I saw her sweep my destroyed office with suspicious eyes. Her expression nearly broke my heart when her stormy blue eyes saw the girl on my couch, two thin blood tracks evident on her throat.

I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it.

"Bastard."

* * *

><p>This was the longest chapter I've written yet, and covered a bit of ground. I think it makes sense, but if you have a question, just ask! I'd love to know what you think of what's happening.<p>

The next chapter will be up tomorrow!


	16. Shame on the Moon

Sookie's POV

I stumbled down the hallway in my stupid high heels, cursing Eric Northman with every step I took.

Bastard!

I spied the washroom I'd cleaned up in earlier, and gratefully stepped inside, closing the door behind me. I was angry enough to spit nails, if only I had 'em. I leaned on the bathroom sink for support, staring at myself in the mirror above the sink. Remarkably, even though I felt like a dirty dishrag, I was still looking damned good.

Bastard!

I groaned at my own stupidity and turned on the cold water. Splashing some into my face, I let myself relive the awful scene I had walked in on. Awful? No, that was stretching it, surely. If I'd walked in a few minutes earlier, well, that would have been awful. I closed my eyes, tightly, as images tried to work their way into my head - nasty, filthy images of my vampire - MY VAMPIRE - giving that stupid girl what he'd denied me not even twenty four hours ago. I felt so foolish. I meant nothing to him, I couldn't.

He walked away from me. I came here to see him - to seduce him, if I'm honest - and he rejected me again. Stupid magic blood bond or not, he turned his back to me, choosing another. Worse than that - he didn't even have the decency to choose one himself, he'd sent Pam to do his dirty work. I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

Pam. Why wouldn't she have just let me leave? Why was she so bloody cruel? She knew, she bloody well knew what he was doing, and she still wouldn't let me leave. Why not? I didn't buy her whole "You're important to Eric, so you're important to me" routine. Obviously, that was a lie. I'm no more important to Eric than the fangbanger in his office.

A knock on the door pulled me from the cesspool of dark thoughts that threatened to drown me. I hastily turned the water off before flicking my extra sense towards the door. Vampire. What a surprise.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you." I sounded like a petulant child, but I was okay with that. It was how I felt, really, like a child mourning the loss of a favorite toy.

"I will wait." It was Pam. Great. My stubborn guard was back. Would she finally let me leave this damnable bar?

"Wait forever, for all I care. I'm not speaking to you anymore." I wanted to stamp my foot for extra emphasis, but I held back.

"You do realize that I can actually wait forever, right?" Pam's silky voice had a hint of amusement dancing in it. I groaned internally, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Only till daylight, Pam. Not really forever, is it?" I felt smug, like I'd gotten one over on the vampires.

"Sookie." Pam cleared her throat, something I'm sure vampires didn't need to do. She still sounded amused, amused at my expense. "We close in a couple of hours. Do you think my Master is going to let you stay in there all night?"

"I don't give a stinky rat's ass what your Master thinks, Pam." Did she do everything for him? How many other hysterical girls had she talked out of this very room?

"You may not, Sookie, but I do. I need you to come out so we can speak to you. I told you, my little human friend, things are not what they seem. You need to trust me, Sookie. I will not lie to you." She sounded sincere, but I still didn't care.

"Is this the line-up?" A different voice, female, came floating through the bathroom door. I cautiously lifted my shields and took a peak. Please, please god, don't let it be Eric's discarded fang banger. I heard Pam quickly telling the woman to move on to the public washrooms in the other end of the bar. The woman's thoughts shook me a little - there was so much venom, so much hate, all directed at Pam. Could anyone be that upset by being told a bathroom was out of order?

I can't explain why I did what I did, but I was suddenly overcome with a need to see who was thinking such evilness. I swung open the bathroom door quickly, catching Pam and the waiting customer by surprise. The dour faced woman from the bar was standing there. She glared at me with such hatred, I couldn't help my instinct - I checked her brain quickly before hauling my own brain back quickly in shock.

_Unholy creatures! God will strike them down._

_Disgusting fang banger! Your punishment will come._

_They think they are so superior to us. We'll show them._

_Evil, dead, creatures. Spawn of Satan. They'll be right at home where they are going._

"Are you alright, my friend?" Pam was looking at me with naked curiosity. I shook myself, attempting to clear my head of the vitriol spewing from the woman's thoughts. What the hell was she doing in a vampire bar? When I considered the boy sitting with her table, I really wondered. His thoughts hadn't matched the other patron's, either. With a last hostile glance towards Pam, she quickly disappeared, presumably to find a free bathroom.

I snapped out of my reverie, only to find Pam staring at me expectantly. Too bad for her.

"I'm leaving now, Pam. Don't try to stop me." I stared at her defiantly, waiting for her to make the next move.

"I wish you would reconsider, Sookie. Eric needs to speak to you." She stared holes through me, but once again, it's back to that stinky rat's ass. I still didn't give one.

"You know what, Pam? I DO NOT CARE what Eric wants or doesn't want." I had hoped he wanted me, but I'm not sticking around to be humiliated by a bunch of vampires. "What I want is to go home and forget I ever met Eric. And, if you will excuse me, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Don't let me to stand in your way." She made a dramatic production of stepping to the side. It wasn't funny. "You should know, Sookie, that what you saw was not real. You are making a mistake." She called after me as I stomped down the hall, but I stopped caring what she said. I just wanted to get out.

"Whatever, Pam." I waved my hand in the air, not bothering to turn around. In a minute, I was pushing through the crowd at Fangtasia, making my way slowly to the door. I tried to hurry. I wasn't sure Pam was really going to let me leave. Why she wanted me to stay was a mystery to me, but I had known what I saw.

I finally made it to my car and gratefully climbed into the old bucket of rust. It felt like home to me, and the tears that had been threatening all evening started to flow, running down my cheeks as I cried. I tried to tell myself it was better this way. I tried to tell myself he was never mine to begin with. I reminded myself I'd only met him exactly four times, and two of those were the same evening. I reminded myself of the fact he'd made no promises to me, outside of my dreams, but nothing consoled me. All I felt was a great, gaping hole where my heart should be. I felt empty, hollow, useless. The tears came harder and harder until eventually I couldn't even see straight.

After a minute or so of snuffling and sniffing, I leaned over the passenger seat, searching the glove box for a tissue. I had an overwhelming urge to hit the road, to return to my old farmhouse and curl up with Gran's old afghan and a tub of ice cream. I needed comfort, and I wasn't going to find it here.

I was blowing my nose into an old Merlotte's napkin I'd located when a knock came on the window. I turned slowly, still wiping my nose, and stared straight into the face of my vampire. No, scratch that. He's not my vampire.

I considered just driving away, never looking back. I really did. But as I stared at his face, his eyes pierced straight through me. I could feel the blood bond pulse, sending flutters of uncertainty through me. I could feel the background swell of his emotions float through me, but as usual, it was a mystery to me. It was too complex, too fast to absorb. But the look in his eyes?

Well, the look into his eyes made me slip into dumb girl mode, and I gave in. I opened the window.

"What do you want, Eric?" I might have been dumb, but I was still very angry.

"I want to talk to you. If you will allow it."

"Knock yourself out." I shrugged like I didn't care what he did.

"Will you come back inside? I would prefer more privacy."

Out of habit, I scanned the area with my extra sense. A crowd of humans and only one vamp, at the door. A few groups of people walking on the lot, heading for their cars. Random thoughts filtered through my lowered shields.

_We have to come back here! That was a blast._

_I heard Pam is lesbian. I wonder what that would be like?_

_Holy shit! He's one big motherfucker._

_Next time, I'm coming alone._

_Three of us going to be enough?_

_I wonder who the blonde was? I've never seen that big hunk of vampire act like that!_

I slammed my shields in place. I didn't want to hear it.

"I'm fine here. Say what you want to say, Eric, so I can go home." I didn't want to hear what he had to say, and I was dying to hear what he had to say.

"Fine. We'll do it your way. But can you please get out of the car?"

He had been bent at the waist this whole time. I'd make him stay like it out of spite, but he was too close to me like this. His face was just inches away. I put my hand to the door handle, but he beat me to it. The door opened and he reached a hand towards me. I ignored it, and climbed out on my own.

"So?" I stared at him, feeling more contrary by the moment. I should have driven away.

"I have Bill Compton in custody. He's refusing to tell me why he took you, but I have my suspicions. Unfortunately, he refuses to talk, and our attempts to persuade him have failed." He stood with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, his shoulders hunched forward.

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. I had been so sure he was going to offer some lame explanation for what happened in the bar, but this took the damned cake. He wanted to talk business. The silence stretched between us until he took a small step towards me. I held up my hand and he stopped moving.

"So, what does that mean for me?" I wanted to scream at him, pound at him with my fists. But, perversely, I wanted to appear as cold and uncaring as he. If he wanted to talk business, fine. I did need to know what Bill was doing.

"He says he will talk, but only if you will see him." Eric looked at me, his expression pensive. "I wouldn't ask you to do it, but this may be our only chance. I can't hold him indefinitely."

"Do you believe him? What if this is a trick?" I was suspicious of all vampires now, and I couldn't help but wonder what his goal was. "If I see him, will I be safe?"

"Yes. He's restrained, and I will be there. You will be safe." He was quiet, serious.

I took a deep breath and just stood there, looking at him. I must look like quite a fright after my little cryfest, but I didn't care. My insides were twisting and turning. I waned to go home, hide my head and pretend this wasn't happening to me. But I squared my shoulders and made my decision.

"When do you want to do this?" The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can go home. Away from Eric.

"You don't have to do this, Sookie, if you don't want to. We can find another way." He was giving me an out, but Bill would talk to me, I wanted to get this over with. I sure didn't plan on living with one eye trained over my shoulder. I shook my head at him.

"Let's do this."

Without a word, he lead me back into the bar. He seemed not to notice the stir we caused when we walked back in, but I certainly did. Heads turned, and the pointing and whispers started. As hard as I concentrated, I couldn't block everything out of my head.

_Fuck. I'd bang her._

_She's cute, but I'm damned hot!_

_I hope we don't have to take her, too. That would be hard to explain._

_Uhhgg. What does he see in her?_

_I wish I was her. He's sooo sexy._

_Jesus! I wish it was time. Waiting makes me so damned antsy._

It was a relief when we entered the hallway and he closed the door behind us. Distance helped, and without everyone staring at me, I could maintain my shields better. I glanced at Eric sideways. I wonder what he would say if I told him?

The stray thought caught me off-guard. I didn't tell people about what I could do. It only scared them. The few people who knew, I trusted completely. Why would I even consider telling Eric, of all people?

Before I could think anymore, we reached the locked basement door. Eric inserted the key, but looked at me, one brow raised, before he turned it. I stared back, not moving. The lock turned, and before I knew it, we were standing in the gloomy basement. I shivered reflexively. It felt colder than it should of. One more locked door was all that stood between me and my kidnapper.

I was scared to death, and I'm pretty sure he knew it. He gave my hand a quick squeeze before opening the door.

"Sookie. So happy you could make it." Bill greeted me with his smarmy southern charm, but my skin crawled looking at him. He looked terrible.

"Cut the crap, Bill. Eric said you wanted to see me." I raised my chin and straightened my spine. I wouldn't let him make me squirm.

"She's here, as you requested. Now explain yourself." Eric stood beside me, his massive arms folded over his chest. "What is your interest in Sookie?"

"I was sent here to find you, Sookie. My Queen, Sophie-Ann, heard about you from Hadley. She wanted to meet you." Bill was pulling a sad puppy dog face. It was making me sick.

"I haven't seen Hadley for years. We thought she might have been dead." Hadley had fallen into a rough life early on. Drugs and bad decisions separated her from the people who loved her. "What Queen? This is America. We don't have royalty."

"Queen Sophie-Ann is the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. All vampires in Louisiana are in the service of the Queen." I swung my eyes to Eric. He gave a barely perceptible nod. I'd have to ask him more later. A freaking Queen, a vampire Queen wanted to meet me? This wasn't good.

"If your Queen is a friend of Hadley's, why didn't she just get Hadley to call me? Why does she care about me, anyway? I can't imagine what Hadley told her to make her think I was interesting. I'm just a waitress." I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't get it.

"I don't know why the Queen wants to meet you. I, like all her subjects, simply do her bidding." Bill paused here, his eyes raking up and down my body. Eric's hand slapped against the side of Bill's face before I could react.

"Eric Northman. Always the hero." Bill laughed, spitting blood from his mouth.

"Shut up, Bill." I spoke without thinking, instinctively defending Eric. "Why did you kidnap me? Why didn't you just tell me the Queen wanted to meet me?"

"I tried to gain your trust, Sookie. I tried really hard. But you wouldn't let me in. I even invited you to come with me, and you refused. If I failed my mission, another vampire would have stepped in and taken you. I wanted to be the one to bring you in. The Queen would have been pleased."

My head spun as his words sank in. It didn't sound like he was taking me to see the Queen for tea. What the hell did he mean, another vampire would have taken me? I was nobody, for cripes sake, just a waitress from a small town. Why all the drama? I swayed a little before regaining my balance. Eric was tense beside me, a very low snarly noise coming from his chest.

"What do you mean, another vampire would take me? Who? I can't just be taken like livestock, Bill. I'm a person." Now my arms were folded across my chest.

"You don't understand, Sookie. If the Queen wants you, she will have you." He shot a look towards Eric, malice in his eyes. "Ask Eric. He'll tell you. You can run, you can hide, but if she really wants you bad enough, she'll find you. She'll have her best people looking for you. Like Eric." He spit the words out of his mouth.

"Eric? Don't be foolish. Eric's the one helping me." Was he as stupid as he seemed?

"Ah, yes, the selfless vampire Sheriff is helping the little human girl. How did he help you, Sookie? He gave you his blood, didn't he?"

"What the fuck does this have to do with me, Compton?" Eric spoke, his voice menacing.

"He is just as involved in this as I am, Sookie. Why do you think he gave you his blood? He was trying to beat me to it. Do you really think the Sheriff of the Area didn't know what was happening?" Bill looked at me with a smirk, before he started to laugh. "Oh, you poor, deluded girl! You thought he liked you, didn't you? He gave you blood so he could track you, control you. That's the only reason any vampire would give blood to a human."

Eric was on him in a flash, his hands wrapped around Bill's throat.

"You lie. Tell her the truth, or you die." Eric was fierce, his voice low and tight.

What the hell? I stared at the two of them, the larger, more powerful Eric dominating the weaker Bill. Did Eric know? My stomach sank at the very idea. Could I have been that blind?

"Eric." The one word fell like a bomb in the room. He turned to look at me, fury emanating from him. Was he mad because Bill lied, or because Bill was telling me the truth?

"Sookie, he's lying. You have to know that." Eric's eyes pleaded with me, even as his hands choked Bill. "I would never harm you. I told you, you are safe."

I stared at him for what seemed like forever. I didn't want to believe Bill. I didn't believe him, actually. I could feel Eric's emotions swaying in the bond. He was furious, filled with rage, but there was some sense of indignation there. Or I think there was. It was all so damned confusing, but I really didn't believe Eric would hurt me.

"Let him speak, Eric. I want to hear the rest." I was trying to be so strong, but my voice shook at the end. "If he's lying, let himself dig a bigger hole."

He continued to look at me, but didn't offer any more denials. I appreciated that, in some weird way. I could tell Eric didn't want to let go but eventually his grip loosened, and he let go of Bill's throat.

"Speak." He threw the word harshly at the bound vampire.

"I'm telling you the truth, Sookie. He will take you to the Queen, just as I would have. Whoever brings you in would get to share you, after Sophie-Ann tires of you, that is." This time, I stepped forward and slammed my hand against his face. It hurt like hell, but it was worth it. I could feel something like pride coming from Eric. I looked at him, and he shook his head.

"Share me? I'm not a fucking toy!" This was getting worse by the second. Could I really just be taken?

"I'm trying to get you to see reason, Sookie. You could make this easier on yourself, and just go to the Queen. You will never be safe, otherwise."

"He's lying to you, Sookie. He knows he's failed his orders, and he's just trying to play some desperate, last minute pitch to still claim credit with the Queen." He looked at me, his blue eyes boring into me. "Don't believe him, Sookie. I will keep you safe."

"How can you stop her, Eric? If Bill is telling the truth, she will stop at nothing. If you all work for her, or serve her, or whatever, how do you think you can keep her from me?" I had no intentions of turning myself in to some wacko vampire who thought she was royalty. Not me. Besides, I had my very own personal fairy godmother! Nobody was taking me anywhere.

"We are already bound, Sookie. I won't let her take you." His eyes burned with conviction. There's no way he's in on this. I looked back at Bill. I wanted to kick him in the shins.

"He's lying, Sookie. You've taken his blood, but there's no bond. I would know. Every vampire would be able to smell him on you." He smirked at Eric. "Nice try, though, Northman."

Eric growled, his hands clenching into fists. I was surprised he held back. It's not like I didn't have an idea of what his idea of "persuasion" would be, this place looked like a torture chamber. It was seriously creeping me out.

"We can strengthen our bond, Sookie. If I claim you as mine, she can't touch you, ever, under our laws." He held me with an unwavering gaze. All I could feel from him was conviction. "I am not lying to you. I won't lie to you, ever. I may not always tell you everything, but what I do tell you will always be the truth."

Seriously? I felt like asking one of them to pinch me, just to be sure this wasn't one long, wacky dream.

I blew out a long breath, looking back and forth between the two of them. It had been a mistake to come to Fangtasia tonight. It had been a mistake to talk to Eric at the car. It was a mistake to talk to Bill. I looked at him, thinking about what he'd said. He'd given us nothing, really. We knew who wanted me, but not why. I turned my gaze to Eric. Something tells me this was probably his suspicion all along, so we were no further ahead. I knew he wasn't going to offer anything important, he probably wasn't even important enough to know the answers. If the Queen didn't want Eric to know, she probably doesn't want anyone to know about me. Why? I really was nothing special. Sure, I had my extra sense, but why would a vampire care about that? They can glamour humans. Surely that beat hearing thoughts that still had to be interpreted correctly. And I can't even read vampires at all.

"He does nothing but lie, Sookie. Eric Northman is known as one of the coldest, most ruthless of our kind. He's had a thousand years to learn to manipulate every situation to his advantage."

"I mean what I say, Sookie. If we bond, it is very unlikely I could ever lie to you. You would be able to sense the deceit." Eric spoke slowly, his tone low, directed solely at me.

"I'm going home." I'd had enough. I couldn't continue this back and forth.

I was done making mistakes this night. We got all we could from Bill. I didn't even want to think about what Eric said. Strengthen our bond? Claim me as his? If you'd asked me yesterday, my reaction would have been different, but after this night? I don't want to be bound any closer to any vampire. I just wanted to live my life. I turned to walk out the door, leaving two very surprised vampires in my wake. I was halfway to the stairs when I felt Eric come up behind me.

"Stop right there, Eric Northman. You take one more step towards me, and I have to tell you, I'd feel an awful lot like you were trying to prevent me from leaving. I said I'm going home, and that's it. Good bye."

I marched towards the stairs and carried on upstairs, never giving him a backwards glance. I didn't know whether to be surprised or relieved when he didn't follow me. This time, I headed out the employee's entrance door and for once this night, no vampire followed me. I got into my old car, started it up and headed for Bon Temps. I was going home.

I almost made it home before I slammed on the brakes, bring the car to a sudden halt. My hand flew up to cover my mouth. I fumbled to find my purse, pulling my cellphone out when I found it. I fumbled with the buttons, really glad I'd given into my silly urge to look up Fangtasia's phone number this afternoon. I'd felt silly when I'd put the number in the phone, but I was grateful for it now.

"Fangtasia, the bar with bite." A bored female voice answered the phone.

"I need to speak with Pam. Is she there?" Silence greeted my question. I would have thought I'd been disconnected, but I could hear the music in the background. Bob Seger's _Shame on the Moon_ was just starting. Jason and I did a completely awful karaoke version of this one night in a bar in Shreveport. I started to sing along in my head, the words suddenly seeming more poignant than ever before.

_Until you've been beside a man _

_You don't know what he wants _

_You don't know if he cries at night _

_You don't know if he don't _

_When nothing comes easy _

_Old nightmares are real _

_Until you' ve been beside a man _

_You don't know how he feels_

"Who is this?" Pam was on the line.

"It's Sookie, Pam. I need to tell you something. You have to listen to me and you have to believe me. I can't tell you how I know, but I think there's some people in your bar that are with those crazy religious people? The Fellowship, or something?" My words tumbled out in a rush, and I heard Pam hiss on her end. "There's a table with that woman who came to the bathroom earlier, and a red-headed guy, a young guy and a bald dude. Are they still there?"

I heard the phone drop, but she was back in a second.

"Yes, they are. Why do you think this, my friend?" She sounded remarkably calm. I was in a panic.

"I can't tell you, Pam, but I think they plan on trying to take you and Eric tonight, after you leave. Just trust me, and be careful, okay? Watch them."

"Where are you, Sookie?"

"I'm almost home. Why?"

"Because while I am very willing to take your word right now, and without explanation, I can promise you this. Eric will not be so easy to put off. I'm sure you will be seeing him soon." Pam laughed into the phone. "I will heed your words, Sookie. I can promise you no harm will come to Eric. You have a good night." She hung up, leaving me staring at the phone.

Would this night never end?

* * *

><p>And there you have it. I know, Eric and Sookie still have a whole lot to talk about, and I promise that's coming! We're also getting to the end of Bill Compton, thank god. I'm not sure how I'm going to send him to his final death, though. Any suggestions?<p>

Next chapter will be up soon, but I'd love to know what you thought of this one.


	17. Can you hear me?

**_Shorter chapter, I know. I'm sorry, but the next chapter will be up soon! _**

**_Thanks so much to all of you who have taken the time to read and review. Your reviews mean the world. They're the only indication I have whether it's worth my time to write this story. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart, and if I haven't responded to you, it's only because I'm busy getting the story ready to post._ **

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

I walked into the house, still mulling over Pam's words. Was Eric going to show up here? I was still so damned mad, at him, at myself, at the whole world. This had been one of the worst nights of my life and I wanted it to end. I could maybe face Eric tomorrow, but I don't have it in me right now.

It took the old water heater a few minutes to kick in these days so I turned the hot water on in the shower and returned to my room, kicking off the cursed heels immediately. I stripped my sexy as hell, knock his socks off dress and threw it in a heap at the bottom of my closet. I should just throw it out. It's not like I'd ever feel sexy and desirable in it ever again.

The shower helped. It really did. Ten minutes under the hottest water I could take, letting it stream onto my tense shoulders and back, was enough to make me feel a little more like myself. My hair wrapped in a towel, I slipped into my oldest comfy pj's, and topped it with my old Bon Temps High sweatshirt. A pair of thick socks, and I was off to the kitchen. There was a half pint of ice cream somewhere in the freezer, and I hoped it wasn't too badly freezer burnt. It might be cliched as heck, but it was what I wanted. I was in luck. There was only a fine layer of ice crystals on top of more than a half pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey. I scraped it clear before going to collapse on the couch, pulling Gran's afghan around me as I sat.

A really old episode of Law & Order was on the television, and I stared at it as I slowly, but methodically, made my way through most of the ice cream. I really couldn't tell you what happened, but it did let me clear my mind and totally not focus on what I should have been thinking about. Like what to tell Eric when he did question me. Pam was right, I knew it. She only accepted what I told her without explanation because it was to her benefit and she knew he'd get it out of me, anyway.

I should have been thinking all that, but instead I let myself get absorbed by A.D.A Ben Stone, and his pursuit of justice. I had only a second of warning, a second when I realized the bond was coming through much clearer.

Another second later, there was a rap at the door. Three seconds later, another two impatient taps.

Eric was here.

I laid my mostly empty ice cream tub on the coffee table. A deep breath in and out, and I stood to my feet. Another knock at the door, louder this time.

I purposefully took my own sweet time getting to the door. I unwrapped my hair and threw the towel on the banister. I could see his outline through the frosted glass in the front door. He looked larger than ever.

With complete resignation, I opened the door, facing him without speaking. I decided the best thing for now is to not offer anything, and let him ask the questions.

"We need to talk, Sookie." He was really a giant of a man. I had to look up, way up, to take in the full package. His face was serious, but the way he spoke the words seemed off, like he'd caught me being naughty.

"So talk."

"Can I come in?"

"I don't think so." I stepped out onto the porch with him. I knew I was giving up the safety of being able to magically boot him out of the house, but I wasn't afraid of him. Despite what a complete ass he was, I trusted he didn't intend to do me any physical harm. I sat on the swing, tucking my feet under me.

"How did you know what was going to happen this evening?" He remained standing, but stayed a few feet away.

"I got lucky?" I knew I was being too smart for the circumstances, but I really didn't want to tell him. Telepathy had always made me feel like an outsider. It left me open for ridicule and fear. A good portion of Bon Temps thought I was nuts, Crazy Sookie. After the few days I've had, if he looked at me with pity because of it, I'd be crushed.

"Sookie." It was a reprimand. I sighed. I was going to have to tell him.

"I read their minds." I muttered. I snuck a look at him to see how he was taking it and he was staring at me thoughtfully.

"That's interesting." He said. "I had a psychic once. It was incredible." He looked far more serious than his words.

"Did the psychic think so?" My voice was tarter than I'd meant it to be.

Eric laughed, but it sounded hollow. "For a while," he answered ambiguously.

I stayed silent until the next question came.

"How does it work?"

"I hear people's thoughts. I don't want to. I just do." I looked away from him, shivering a little in the cool night air. His leather coat was wrapped around me in a flash, offering protection from the chill. It was strange to feel no residual body heat coming from it.

"Can you hear my thoughts?" He moved again, suddenly, until he was crouched in front of me. His speed startled me, but I wasn't afraid. Desperately, horribly, awfully uncomfortable, but not scared.

"No." I was really, really glad I couldn't. "I can't hear any vampires. Y'all are like big voids, a blank."

He stayed crouched in front of me for a minute, his face like stone. He looked incredibly focused, but didn't speak. Damned if I was going to, so I just stared back at him. After a minute, he straightened up and stepped back to rest against the railing of the porch. I hoped the old wood was going to hold his weight. Then again, it might be incredibly satisfying to see him land on his fabulous ass in Gran's fading hydrangea bushes.

"Have you always been able to do this?" I nodded yes. "How does it work?

"It's different with everybody. People are different, and everyone thinks differently. Some think with words, some with pictures, some with both."

"Do you hear everything? Or just bits and pieces?" He looked and sounded interested. There was nary a trace of pity.

I felt an absurd impulse to hug him. I had to remind myself I hated him now.

"I suppose if I wanted to, I could hear everything, but I try hard not to listen." It made me squirm in my seat to talk about my ability to shield my brain from the constant influx of thoughts. My dream version of Eric was the one who taught me to control it, showed me patiently how to erect the shields, making me practice until it was second nature. It may have happened only in my dreams, but it worked. I can't imagine how my life would have turned out without his intervention and help. It would have been a nightmare. "Some are really hard, like my boss. I can barely hear anything from him. Like I said, everyone is different."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" My face shot up to look at him. Was he even serious?

"Why on earth would I have told you, Eric?" I was truly puzzled.

"It didn't occur to you that your gift might be the reason why the Queen is interested in you?"

My mouth gaped.

"Why would a vampire Queen care about that, Eric? I can't read vampires. And you guys can do your glamour thing to get whatever you want from humans." I hadn't seriously thought about it being a possibility. From the look on his face, I might be wrong. Damn. For the first time this evening, I felt a shiver of fear rip through me.

He shook his head slowly, a thick lock of blonde hair falling over his forehead. He looked younger and more boyish for a second, before he pushed it back in place.

"Your gift would be in great demand to vampires, Sookie. Do you realize how powerful a gift you wield?" He stared at me, almost incredulously. "Telepaths are so rare, I've only ever heard rumors. A Queen with a telepath in her retinue would be a powerful monarch."

"It's more like a curse than a gift." I shook my head at him. "It's never done me any good. It's more of a disability, actually." That's how it felt before I got control of my shields.

Before the words were out of my mouth, Eric was in front of me again.

"Do not ever say that." He was angry. He took my hands in his. "It is not a curse, or disability. It is a great gift you have been given. Do not belittle yourself like that."

I looked at his large, calloused hand holding mine. The bond pulsed, brighter and stronger. I wanted to lean forward, to have him wrap me in his arms. I wanted to have those hands - Damn it, Sookie! Get a grip!

I pulled my hands away quickly and jumped to my feet. I almost tripped over him, but I managed to put some distance between us. He looked puzzled for a moment, and then I saw understanding dawn on his face. Remorse quickly followed in the bond. I pulled his leather jacket, which smelled so wonderfully of him, off and held it out to him.

"That's all there is to know." I knew there was still so much to say, so much to talk about. I was still in danger, from his Queen, for cripes sake! But this was my house, and it was my decision whether to talk now, or not. There wasn't much more my brain could absorb tonight, and I did need sleep. I had to work in the morning. "And it's late. I need to go to bed."

He paced towards me, his steps slow and measured.

"That's not all, Sookie." He stopped just a couple of feet away from me. He ignored the jacket in my hand.

"Like I said, Eric, it's late. I need to go to bed." I was so not in the mood to hear his excuses. If he was even going to offer any.

"This won't take long." His eyes bored straight into mine. I shivered again, more because of the look in his eyes than the cold. He swiftly took the jacket and had it wrapped back around me before I could blink. In a flash I had it back off again, tossing it at him this time. He caught it easily and slid it back on his body without comment. "I wanted to explain what you saw earlier."

"There's nothing to explain, Eric." I took a couple of steps backward, until my back was at the door, my hand wrapped around the doorknob. "I must go to bed now. Good night." I slipped the handle, and stepped backward over the threshold. I was in the house.

"Sookie, what you saw... You weren't mean to see... It wasn't what you thought it was." His head hung. Uncharacteristically for him, he didn't try to meet my eyes at that moment.

"Eric." I spoke firmly. "Good night." I closed the door just as firmly. Not that it did any good. He just came closer to the door, and spoke through it.

"I'm sorry, Sookie." He sounded mournful. "I didn't mean for you to be hurt."

I stood inside the door, my heart racing. I'd managed to hold my anger and hurt for most of the night, but it was bubbling it's way to the surface, his words breaking the dam. I was fuming. It took all of five seconds before I had the door flung open again.

"It wasn't what I thought?" I was spitting mad, screaming up into his face. "I wasn't supposed to be hurt? You were the one who hurt me. You. You did this!"

"Sookie, let me explain - " I cut him off.

"If you didn't want to hurt me, why the hell did you do that? Why? It wasn't enough to humiliate me in front of your entire bar? You had to go and fuck some pathetic fang banger ten fucking minutes later? One you had Pam - PAM - come and pick out for you? Right in front of me?" My voice was getting higher and higher, my words spilling out of me. I wouldn't stop long enough for him to speak. "Go ahead, Eric. Tell me how I'm wrong. Did you not humiliate me in front of your entire bar?" I threw the last words as a challenge, venom dripping from every syllable.

"I didn't do it on purpose! Fuck!" Eric yelled the words at me, his temper raising to match mine. "I was in a bad fucking mood, Sookie, in a very dark place. I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't expect you to walk in, looking the way you did! You walked in, and all of a sudden, I had no fucking control!"

"Oh, so that makes it all better? You're in a bad mood? Well, boo fucking hoo!" What a crappy, crappy excuse that was.

"I am a vampire!" He roared the words at me. "I have instincts and responses you do not. You, standing there looking like you did - in that fucking red dress - it's a wonder I had any control at all. Don't you understand? I wanted to take you right there. Right then. I didn't give a fuck who saw us." He was angry, but it didn't really seem directed at me. Mine, however, was completely directed at him.

"Oh, sure. Well, when you put it like that, Mr. Northman, it just makes so much more sense." I drawled the words at him in a very exaggerated accent, my tone still vicious, but oh, so sarcastically mocking him. "I completely understand why you walked away from me. I really understand why you just had to get Pam to solicit some poor girl to have sex with you."

He stared at me for a moment, his eyes blazing an intense blue. He looked paler than ever. He spun away suddenly, turning to bellow and roar into the still night sky. I live in the middle of nowhere, but I still think some people might have heard his words. Maybe even on the other side of town.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" He turned again to face me. "I did not send Pam to find someone for me to fuck!"

"I saw her, Eric. And I think she used her glamour on her, too, which makes it even more disgusting." I stared at him, screwing up my face. "Do you glamour girls to have sex with you?"

"Gods, Sookie. You're killing me. I do not have to glamour anyone into my bed." He ground the words out, his tone full of indignation and outrage. "And I did not have sex with her."

"So you say." He sounded so sincere. The bond was confusing me, his emotions tangling with mine. I wasn't sure anymore where I ended and where he began. "What I saw tells me different. Or did I barge in too early, Eric? Interrupt your plans? You'd already had your dinner. Don't deny that!"

"I did not have sex with her. I did not want to have sex with her. I did not plan on having sex with her later." He spoke slowly and deliberately, but I could hear the anger in his voice. "I was coming to talk to you."

"You expect me to believe that? Why was she there, then?" I was back to screaming, throwing the words at him.

"Because I needed to feed, for fuck's sake!" He bellowed the words at me, but there was a strange defensive tone there.

"True Blood not good enough for you, is it, Eric?" I sneered at him.

"I do not need much blood to survive, Sookie, but I had not fed properly in a long fucking time. I was losing my control, which is dangerous for everyone. I needed to feed."

"And I suppose it's just not the same with your clothes on?" I was feeling a little chastened by his words, but I wasn't anywhere near ready to accept them.

"If you must fucking know, I was naked because I had to shower. Do you know why I had to shower, Sookie? Do you, lover? Because I could smell you, Sookie, I could smell you all fucking over me. It was driving me crazy. It was fucking killing me." He jammed a hand through his hair, tousling the locks wildly.

"What?" I felt stupid, all of a sudden. I don't know if I believed him or not, but I was feeling oddly unjustified in my anger all of a sudden. I tried to fuel it again, but I was too busy processing what he's said.

"I didn't fuck her, Sookie." He spoke very slowly, like he wasn't sure he was saying it right. "I didn't want her. If I could take back the entire evening, I would. I'm sorry."

I just stood there like a dope, staring blankly at him. My anger, which I had wrapped around myself like a security blanket, was slowly slipping away from me, leaving me feeling way too vulnerable for my liking. I shifted my feet around, suddenly feeling at a loss for words. My eyes were burning with tears I was barely holding back. The silence between us stretched out. He eventually broke it, his voice soft and gentle again.

"I meant what I said to you tonight, Sookie. I will do what it takes to protect you. I will not lie to you. I would very much like to see you again. But I will respect your wishes, whatever you decide." He never took his eyes from mine, his gaze almost hypnotizing. "Can we get past this night, Sookie?"

This night was kicking my ass into next week. I was so terribly confused, I just couldn't think straight. I wanted to see him again. I wanted him to be mine. But I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea. If I accept his word, he didn't have sex with some random girl moments after publicly rejecting me. But he did have sex with lots of those girls. Lots and lots of those girls. I'd seen the truth in their heads, with the graphic visuals to go with it. He was a vampire. He needed blood to survive, and from even the little I knew about vampires, sex and feeding went hand in hand. I don't even know why we are talking about this. It's not like he really is mine. Even if he had been having sex with her, he had every right to do so. I had no claim on him, I thought to myself sadly. Despite the incredible pleasure he'd given me last night, he'd promised me nothing.

"I have to sleep, Eric. I can't talk about this now." I nearly whispered the words, suddenly feeling very weary. "I will think about it. Good night."

I slowly closed the door, locking it firmly before sinking to the floor, the tears dripping from my eyes onto the hardwood floor. This was just all too much, too exotic for a telepathic barmaid from northern Louisiana.

I could feel him on the porch for the longest time. He didn't speak again, but I could feel him there, could feel his storming emotions batter me through the bond. I felt adrift, bobbing aimlessly in an endless sea of emotion. Eventually, his darker, wilder emotions came under control, and all I could feel coming from him was a soft sense of remorse. I felt the calm seep into me. Knowing it was coming from Eric, I wrapped myself fully in it, giving over to the only comfort he offered.

In time, as my tears dried up, I registered him leaving, felt the bond pull back and his signature void moving away from the house. He didn't go very far, though.

I could feel him outside until I drifted to sleep an hour or more later.

It took everything in me not to go to him.

* * *

><p><strong><em>That's all for now! Please tell me what you think. Was she too easy on him?<em>**

**_I'm working hard on getting the next chapter ready to post. Remember, reviews always feed the muse!_**


	18. Tequila, Interrupted

**_Thanks so much for all the kind words on the last chapter. Each and every single review has made me smile, and made the day so much more fun. They absolutely provided the inspiration to get the second chapter of the day out. _**

**_My thanks especially to VampQueenV who pointed out a terrible mistake I'd made. For anyone else who noticed, Eric really didn't mean to say it! It was all my fault!_**

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

For the second time in as many nights, I had to race the sun to make it to safety. I can't explain what caused me to stay as long as I did, but I couldn't bring myself to leave her. I could feel her pain and anger reverberating through the bond we shared, the bond which was not lessening in the slightest. I half expected her to throw her door open again and command me to leave, but she didn't. I listened to her tears fall, to her soft, gasping breath, through the door of her house. It bothered me. Way more than it should have.

I paced the perimeter of her property for hours, long after I felt her slip into an uneasy sleep. The bond told me she was out, but the uncomfortable pulses of energy I was getting from her told me she was far from resting easy. My culpability tore at me. I didn't want to be the cause of her pain. I pushed back at the feelings as hard as I could, but they persisted, buzzing in my head like an unrelenting mosquito.

I eventually picked a spot on the ground, and made myself comfortable with my back against an ancient tree. There was so much I needed to attend to, but it could all bloody well wait. My mind drifted backwards, to the moment Pam had confronted me in my office.

"Did you speak with her?" My child stood, hands on hips, fire burning from her eyes.

"Yes. We spoke with Compton together. The prick tried to tell her I was in on his plans." I was still thoroughly pissed with Compton, to the point I couldn't trust myself to face him again. I cursed his involvement with the Queen. If he'd been any other vampire, he would have been staked by now. But I had to tread carefully here. If I hoped to keep Sookie from her, it just wouldn't do to anger her further. Sophie could be temperamental, when she chose to be. I would have to remain on my guard. And that meant not giving in to temptation to rip his fucking head off.

"Jesus, Eric!" Pam stared at me, aghast. "Please tell me you set her straight."

"I did, but I'm not sure what all this will mean." I sat slumped behind my desk, looking at the results of my earlier fit of rage. I only regretted I had left nothing left to destroy. It may have helped my mood. "I don't know what she really thought, but I don't think she believed him. She left unexpectedly." I felt a odd surge of pride when I thought of how she'd stopped me in the basement, with just one hand and a few well chosen words. I smiled a little, my lips twisting without much humor.

"Well, she's not home yet." Pam's statement caught my attention.

"What do you mean?" I was puzzled. Did she come back?

"I just received a very interesting call from our human friend, Eric. She called to warn us of danger in our bar." She kept her calm gaze on me, her face perfectly expressionless.

"What danger?" What the fuck? "Why did she call you?"

"She wanted to let us know there were FoTS members here in the bar. She said they were intending to take you and I this evening."

"What the fuck?" I roared it out loud this time, flying to my feet. I was inches from Pam in less than a second.

"Relax, Eric. I have it under control. Chow and Indira are seeing them to the basement as we speak. For now, the threat is neutralized."

"How the fuck did she know what was happening?" My brain churned, sending electric impulses through my body. I could barely stand still.

"That's where it gets interesting, Eric. She said she couldn't tell me how she knew and asked I just trust her." Pam spoke slower than nomal, her eyes fixed on my face. "Since how she knew didn't matter for the moment, I accepted her word. It seems she was right."

I just looked at her for long moments, her words sinking in. Suddenly, I roared, my frustration breaking through the surface. I turned, putting my fist through the office wall. I was right. It did feel good. But only for the moment. Pam said nothing, just continued to watch me carefully. I'm sure she was tallying the damages this night had wrought.

"Well, fuck me!" I exclaimed before sinking to sit on the battered couch. "How? How did she know this?"

"I don't know Eric. I assumed you would ask her that question yourself." Pam paused, clearly unsure whether she should continue her thought. I waved her on. "Remember, Eric, this is the girl the Queen was looking for. Because she knew things she wasn't supposed to be privy to. Maybe this is one of those times."

This was not what I was hoping for. Any confirmation that Sophie-Ann was right in her assumptions regarding Sookie was bad news. The best hope I had of keeping Sookie at my side rather than surrendering her to the Queen was based on Sophie being wrong about Sookie's supposed value. I realized, with a sinking feeling, that this was really, really bad news. As childlike as she sometimes was, Sophie delighted in collecting unusual humans, anyone who could perform parlor tricks to amuse her and her retinue. I couldn't picture Sookie Stackhouse, doing tricks for the Queen.

"Where was she when she called?" I would go to the ends of the earth if I had to. I was going to know the truth this night.

"She was almost home, she said." Pam looked at me, waiting. I think she knew what was coming.

"How many are you holding?"

"Four. We have it under control, Eric. If there is any truth to their FoTS connection, we will know it soon."

"Very well. I'm leaving. Keep me updated." I registered her swift nod, then I was out the door, flying to Sookie.

I sat under that old tree in her yard for a long time that night, only rousing myself when it became impossible to ignore the slow change occurring in the sky. The sun, my biggest enemy right now, was slowly starting it's ascent. I had to go. My thoughts would have to wait for another night.

When I woke in my daychamber the next evening, I felt rested and rejuvenated, an unusual feeling for me lately. If I'd dreamed, it was mercifully a mystery to me. I was still surrounded by her scent, the delicious aroma fading a bit, but detectable to my superior senses. I felt at home, at peace for a moment, and luxuriated in the unexpected sensation. I experienced a few minutes of blissed-out denial before slowly pulling myself from the bed. I showered quickly, thinking of the problems stretching before me.

The first item of business would be to deal with Sophie-Ann. I could play it cool with her for now, but I was certain it wouldn't take much for Sophie to order me to produce Sookie. If she knew of her telepathy, there would be no convincing her the girl was of no use. I was still very unsure of how that conversation would go. I had no qualms in telling her Sookie was mine, but without a full blood bond, my claim may not hold.

The second item of business would be to contact Niall Brigant. It was time for him to cough up some more bloody answers. I was losing any reluctance I had initially felt to his suggestion I bond with Sookie, but I would be damned if I would let him believe I was doing his bidding. I needed more information, and I needed it fast. Did he know of Sophie-Ann's interest in his kin? He spoke of Sookie facing danger - was she the cause, or was there more danger coming? I needed to make Niall spill the truth.

And, of course, there was the idiots Sookie had warned us of. Pam, along with the capable Chow and Indira, had contained the problem last night, but there was still the matter of deciding what to do now that the threat was revealed. Pam had texted, sometime close to morning, that the youngest member of the group had caved fairly easily, and admitted their connection to The Fellowship of the Sun. They had all clammed up again, but at least we knew of the danger. Thanks to Sookie.

Sookie. God. What am I going to do with her? I leaned my head against the cool tile of the shower stall. Closing my eyes for a moment, I thought back to her anger the night before. I could hardly blame her, I thought bleakly. Had the situations been reversed, I don't think I would have reacted with nearly the same grace as she's shown, under incredibly difficult circumstances.

I'd fucked up. I knew it. I fully admitted it, to myself, anyway. To her, I'd tried to explain myself, a task made more difficult by her biting sarcasm. It surprised me how defiant she was, how completely unafraid she was to face me, to confront me. Her mocking words came back to me in a rush, and I grimaced, thinking of the pain I'd felt from her as she spoke. The anger, the fury she had unleashed on me was only a fraction of what I'd felt from her. She'd held so much back, the pain I felt her release behind closed doors later in the evening. If I could have one wish, it would be for her never to feel such anguish again. Especially if it were caused by me.

I rapidly toweled off, and dressed quickly, choosing a pair of dark jeans and a thick leather belt, topping it with just a vest. It wouldn't be my first choice for clothing, but as long as I insisted the staff, including Pam, dress to conform to the tourist's vampire expectations, she'd insisted I occassionally give the fang bangers and tourists a show. Hence, the roguish vests started to appear in my closet, not long after she'd installed the stage and damnable throne in Fangtasia. It could have been worse, I thought wryly, she could have insisted I wear capes, or tattered velvet rags in homage to Louisiana's other favorite vampires, Lestat and Louis.

I flew quickly to Fangtasia, having left my car there the night before when I'd flown off to see Sookie. Again, for the second time in as many days, I was the first to arrive at the bar, letting myself in through the back door. Entering the office, I was pleased to see the damages I'd inflicted last night had been put to rights. The office was spotless, even the hole in the wall had been plastered over and painted. I couldn't even say for sure where my fist had met the wall. The battered computer monitor was gone, as was the old tower. In it's place sat a sleek black laptop, a folded piece of paper placed exactly in the center.

I picked it up, unfolding it as I sat down.

_Master,_

_I took the liberty of choosing a laptop for you this time. I have installed all the software you require, and transferred all files from the old system. Your password remains the same._

_George's services had to be obtained in order to perform all the necessary improvements to your office. I have paid his bill, but he asked me to remind you it was almost time to paint the bar again. I will await your instructions in the matter._

_Your servant,_

_Bobby_

I laughed out loud as I read his words. My dayman, Bobby Burnham, was a sniveling, pathetic excuse for a human being, but he was efficient and loyal. And extremely tactful. The improvements to the office? I assumed he meant the hole I put there, but he would never say such a thing. George was the younger brother of our hapless waitress, Ginger, and had been doing maintenance and odd jobs around Fangtasia since we opened. Ginger wasn't the brightest human I'd ever known, but there were times even she seemed like a genius alongside George. He was good at performing the work he did for us, though, always finishing on time and never trying to overcharge for his services. Every year George would come in and work relentlessly for two days straight, handing us back a brand new, fresh club, scrubbed and painted, everything gleaming. He was good to have around, and it made Ginger even more loyal. Bobby called him in to do anything he or Ginger were unable to handle.

I opened the new laptop, waiting for it to boot up before checking my e-mail. It was my regular night to hold court for any vampire issues that needed to be addressed, and I wanted to get a start on the night while it was still quiet. There was much to accomplish this night, and only so many hours left till daylight. I skimmed through the waiting mail quickly, sending off quick responses to a few. There was the usual correspondence from the Palace, but nothing out of the ordinary. I was making notes on my appointment calendar for the night when I suddenly tensed, my muscles on high alert.

POP!

Niall Brigant , Prince of the Fae, and Sookie's great-grandfather, stood in the middle of my office, looking as refined and dignified as he always did. His silvery blonde hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck. He looked somber as usual in his black suit.

"Northman." He inclined his head regally in my direction.

"Brigant." I returned his greeting with a curt nod.

"What is happening with my Grandchild, Northman?" He immediately got to the point.

"You will have to be more specific, Prince." I wasn't sure how closely he was watching Sookie, and maybe even me. I'm not going to offer anything.

"Don't be dense, Viking." His tone was impatient. "I know what's been happening with you two. Don't play coy with me. Are you going to bond with Sookie, or not?"

"While I have given your request some consideration, I find I am unable to commit to such a permanent condition without more information." I had to remain calm and on guard with the fairy. I knew he was holding information vital to my quest.

"What more do you need to know?" Niall took a seat in the chair nearest my desk, sitting back and crossing his legs.

"What danger to you speak of?" I wondered again if he knew the Queen's plans.

"I know about your Queen's interest." He paused. "While I am concerned, I have faith in you, Northman, to keep her safe from your Sophie-Ann. I believe your traditions say she would be untouchable as your bonded mate?"

I started, wondering briefly if he'd read my mind. Was telepathy even a fairy trait? Sookie might not be able to read vampire minds - I was certain she couldn't, actually, because I'd actively imagined some of the most bloody and brutal things I have ever seen after she had said she couldn't read vampires, but she never flinched, physically or emotionally. I believed she couldn't read us. But if Niall was telepathic, could he, with his much stronger magic?

"That is correct, yes." I answered slowly, realizing he'd pinned me back to the corner. It was more important to me to keep her safe and alive than he could possibly know. I couldn't fail again. He was only pointing out the obvious. His desires and mine lined up. "But that wouldn't necessarily stop my Queen from taking my head. If I'm dead, nothing stands in her way and she would still take her."

"First, Northman, don't play me for a fool. You could have her head any time you want it. We both know this." He scolded me gently, but it didn't take away the sting. I had been taken to task by a fairy prince. "Second, I have thought of this. I am willing to officially recognize your union, should it come to that. Any interference from your Queen would be considered a serious act of aggression."

So he is willing to go to war for her. I wished this information helped, but it only confounded me further. Risking a vampire war for a 1/8th fairy relation wouldn't sit well with the fae council. Why was she so important to him? He was right, though. If the bond we shared wasn't enough, if Sophie-Ann's fear of me wasn't enough, Niall's recognition of Sookie would certainly be enough to make Sophie-Ann back down. It wouldn't kill her interest in Sookie, but it would be enough to keep her out of Sophie's clutches. It would be enough to keep her safe, with me.

"What makes you so certain Sookie will even accept the idea of bonding herself to me?" I could clearly imagine how fired up she'd get at the very idea of being claimed. The disgust I'd felt from her when Bill talked of sharing her made me certain she woldn't take this idea well.

"Like I said, Viking, she's already Chosen you. I have no reason to believe she would reject you out of hand." Niall shrugged, as if it were a foregone conclusion. My insides tightened at the very idea of her rejecting me.

"You still haven't met her, have you?" I was sure I knew her better than he, regardless of his knowledge of Fae bonds.

"No. I haven't had the pleasure. I was hoping to rectify that this evening, if you are able to accompany me." Niall dropped his bomb very calmly. He expected me to go with him? Why?

"Why do you need me?" I asked my question bluntly. I didn't want to appear to helpful.

"It is not the most ideal circumstances to meet my great-grandchild, I agree. But I have limited time in the realm, and I believe it would be more beneficial and expeditious to have you accompany me."

I considered his request, frowning. I would get to see Sookie, but I didn't trust his motives, still. But if he were willing to help with Sophie-Ann, maybe it was worth my time to hear him out. Sookie might draw more information out of him than I was able to. She was no shrinking violet. She wouldn't just accept his reasonings, no matter how easy he thought it would be.

"When do you want to do this?"

"Claudine informs me Sookie is working until 10:00 pm. We could say 10:30?" Niall looked at me expectantly. I would have to move some things around, but I would manage. "I will see you in Bon Temps, Viking."

With a POP, he was gone. I sat in my chair, shaking my head slowly. What was I getting myself involved in? I was lost in my thoughts for sometime, breaking free only when Pam entered the office. She raised her eyebrows at me, obviously surprised to see me here before her again.

"Eric." She nodded briskly. "What's going on?"

"What did you learn from our prisoners, Pam?"

"Nothing more than I told you last night. We know Sookie was right, they are connected with the Fellowship. We located silver nets and chains in their vehicles." She looked pissed as she spoke of the silver. No vampire is happy at the idea of silver touching them, but Pam had a particular aversion to it. Said she hated the way her flesh smelt as it burnt. "We can't get anything else out of them. We still don't know why they were taking us, or where."

"Have another go at them this evening." It occurred to me Sookie's gift might be a huge help in this situation, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. She would have enough to deal with tonight. "One of them will eventually break." A sudden inspiration had me continuing. "Compton hasn't fed in days. Show the weakest one to his room. Threaten to give him over to Bill. It might loosen his tongue."

"Very well. We will give it our best efforts before the bar opens." Pam watched me carefully. She was much more careful around me of late, I'd noticed. Her concern was touching, but it grated on me, too, reminding me all was not well. "What of Sookie, Eric? Did you talk with her last night?"

"Yes, I did." She already knew that. "It's worse than I thought, Pam. She's a telepath."

Pam's audible gasp echoed through my office. I understood her reaction perfectly.

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

It felt good to be doing something normal for a change. My shift at Merlotte's was a welcome distraction from the bizarro world I'd been living in since I left here two days ago. I needed the normal pace, my regular routine. Chatting with Bon Temps finest kept my mind from wandering too much. I served up chicken baskets and burgers with the cheeriest disposition I could manage, smiling at everyone. Tips were good, and I got past the lunch rush with ease. When the afternoon started to drag, I found it much harder to maintain such a strict discipline. I faltered now and then, letting him flit in and out through my mind before banishing him again. I was trying, and failing, to have a supernatural free day. I didn't want to think about vampires, or fairies, or anything else that went bump in the darned night.

Like I said, it wasn't working for me. Not very well at all. I sat on the old chair Sam kept out by the back door for us. It was breaktime, and I was enjoying it, even though we weren't that busy anymore. The sun was shining strong, even if the air felt a little crisp. It was October, after all. The days were getting shorter all the time. Another couple of weeks and the sun would be starting to set soon. Nights would be longer, and colder. Naturally, my thoughts drifted to Eric. It's incredible to think of how closely his life was tied to the sun. The winter brought so much more to his life, adding valuable hours of darkness. I found myself wondering why vampires didn't travel with the seasons. It was always winter somewhere.

I could never imagine being a vampire. Ever. I loved the sun way too much. I know that sounds kinda simple, and it is, really. I worship the sun, it recharges me, it energizes me. As much of a night owl as I've become working late nights waitressing, I couldn't imagine not ever seeing the sun, feeling it's power warm my skin. The thought more than depressed me, I actually felt a little repulsed by it. To each their own, but I knew it wasn't the life for me. Or unlife, whatever. Could I have a life with a vampire, though? Absolutely. It wasn't like I disliked all vampires, I just didn't want to be one. Ever. But that didn't mean I ruled out a relationship with a vampire. Eric.

The most refreshing thing about being with Eric was his golden, beautiful silence. Not having to block him, to struggle to maintain any kind of shields as he touched me, that was so appealing. I'd all but written off the possibility of ever having a proper relationship. I knew from a very young age it would never be an option for me to date normal men. And since we always thought normal, human men were all that was out there, I just assumed I'd be single forever. Crazy Sookie Stackhouse, the crazy old lady with all the cats. I smiled at the idea. I was actually considering getting another cat, but maybe I'd put it off for a bit.

Of course, his silence was only part of the attraction. The fact that he was the living, breathing embodiment - well, undead, non-breathing, but you get the idea - of my dream lover was something I couldn't ignore. I don't understand what to make of it, I can't even begin to comprehend what it all means. But I knew I couldn't just ignore it. I'd be Crazy Sookie if I did. How often could this kind of thing happen? Like never. The vampire I knew in my dreams was a fierce and ferocious warrior, sure. But he was also tender, and loving. He was open with his feelings, and always cared for mine. He was a tremendously inventive lover. Could Eric be this man? Could he become this man? Would he even want to be that man, with me?

"Hookah, if you think I'm gonna let you go back on in there without telling me what the fuck is going on with you, you as crazy as they all say." Lafayette stood there, waving his finger wildly about in the universal symbol for crazy. "I know that look. You out mooning over some man! Tell me all, sugar."

I looked at him and laughed. Lala was nuts, himself, but the best kind of crazy there was. He was crazy about each and every one of his friends, but he had a special kind of crazy love for me, as I did for him. As a flamboyantly gay black man in rural northern Louisiana, Lafayette had been ridiculed and made fun of as often as I. It bonded us in a way no one else understood. He'd always be one of my best friends. But that didn't mean I wouldn't tease him a little.

"Oh, my gosh, Lala!" I threw my forearm across my temples, sighing dramatically like a good southern belle. "You caught me! I was just out here thinking about how nice it would be if Andy Bellefleur would come back in this evening." I gave a long, wistful sigh, managing to hold it for a moment before cracking up. Lafayette laughed along with me, getting the joke. Andy didn't like me. Well, he didn't trust me. Or what I could do. He didn't want to believe I could read his mind and he could be quite nasty at times. If any girl was going to moon over a guy, chances are, it wouldn't be Andy.

"Bitch! Tell me the truth." He stopped laughing, getting a sly, teasing look in his eyes. "I know it's got to be something special to turn your head. Spill. Tell me everything."

"Oh, Lala, you wouldn't believe me even if I did tell you the whole story. But, yes, I have met someone. He's from Shreveport, I haven't known him very long, and I don't know him very well. And he's a vampire." I paused, looking at him to gauge his reaction. I knew he didn't harbor prejudices, but I was curious. He looked impressed, damn him!

"Look at you move, hookah - who would have thought Ms. Sweet Thang here would be shaking her stuff with a vamper?" He shook his head, whistling a dirty catcall. "I'm impressed, sugar! Tell me more. Where did you meet him?"

"It's a long story, Lala, and my break's done." I stood, stretching like a cat. "I'll tell you all about it later, okay?"

"You bet you will, sugar. I'm not letting you get away until I knows the dirty dirt." He followed me back inside, staying right on my tail. I jabbed my elbow back, poking him with it.

"There is no dirty dirt, you dirty perv!" We were laughing as he tried to avoid my jabs, which were getting more determined as he evaded me. "And I wouldn't tell you now even if there was!"

"I got my ways, baby girl. I got my ways. And they all involve you, me, Tara and that bottle of tequila I got back to my house. Tara's coming by after work, and you, little Ms. Thang, are coming with us tonight. Got it?"

I thought about it for all of a second before I said yes. I could use a night of fun. And if I were at Lafayette's, there would be no middle of the night vampire visits. I might wake up with a headache, but it wouldn't be because I stayed up all night crying over a vampire.

I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight for a second. "That sounds like the best plan ever. You off at 10:00, too?"

He nodded, and we walked together back into the bar. It was nearly empty, but we knew the dinner rush was coming soon. It would be a few more hours before that bottle of tequila would join me and my besties for a great time. I moved around the bar, making sure all my tables were set up. It wasn't long before we starting getting busy again, and the tables started filling up. It was busy all night, and I was looking forward to the end of my shift. Every time Lafayette caught my eye he mouthed the word tequila! I heard him singing that tequila song all evening. He was cracking me up.

About quarter to ten, Tara came by to pick Lafayette up after his shift. She squealed with excitement when Lala told her I was joining the party. She started to ask how my dress had worked out for me, but I shushed her quickly, saying I would tell her later. Sam was watching me with open curiousity. I wondered how much of our conversation he'd heard. Not that it was any of his business, but after his weirdness about Eric yesterday, I wasn't very comfortable talking about it in front of him. I cashed out, and threw my apron in the laundry before heading into Sam's office to grab my purse. He was there when I went in.

"Hey, Sam. I'm just grabbing my purse."

"Heading out? Got plans tonight?" He kept his head down, looking at the invoices in his hands.

"Yeah, me and Tara and Lala are having a drink. I gotta run home first, so I really need to be going." I grabbed my purse and threw it over my shoulder. "Night, Sam. See you tomorrow."

"Have a good one, Sookie." He seemed happier once he knew my plans. Strange.

I was home in a few minutes, throwing a fresh set of clothes in a bag. A bottle of tequila meant me snoozing it off on Lafayette's couch. I'd feel far better in the morning if I had some clothes. I tossed in my pajamas before heading into the bathroom to take a quick shower. Once I was sure the smell of beer and grease was gone, I got out, drying myself and my hair in record time, pulling my still damp hair back into a high ponytail. I shimmied into a pair of old jeans and slid a pink scoop necked T-shirt over my head. I put on my old Converse before heading to the kitchen. There was a bag of chips in the cupboard, as well as a package of chocolate chip cookies. I tossed them into my bag. With a bellyful of tequila later, Tara and I would enjoy them, even if Lala turned up his nose. He was so much more into the whole fitness and nutrition thing than we were.

I was buzzing around, making sure everything was locked up, and I had everything I needed in my bag. I was so focused on trying to get out quickly, I wasn't paying attention to anything else. Just like last night, I only recognized his presence moments before the knock came to my door. I cursed to myself, hating the feeling of warmth spreading through my body, the bond pulsing away. It wasn't until I was opening the door, though, my expression annoyed as heck, that I registered the fact he wasn't alone.

Whoever he was with wasn't human. And he wasn't vampire. I pulled the door all the way open, staring Eric in the face as he came into view. I spared a glance towards his companion, and gasped when I took in his appearance.

If I had thought Claudine looked otherworldly, this being, this creature, this fairy, or whatever he was screamed his otherness. It was no one single thing that I could identify, more of an overall impression of his appearance.

"Sookie?" Eric's voice pulled me from my rude stare. "Can we come in?"

I turned my gaze back to meet his. I thought of the waiting bottle of tequila, and my two best friends. I sighed, and stood back from the door, letting my bag drop to the floor. I could take a few minutes to see what he wanted.

"Thank you, Sookie." Eric stepped in, his guest following at his heels. He obviously didn't require an invitation. I moved towards the living room, my unexpected guests following. I sat on the far end of the couch, and Eric took up the other end. His friend settled into the wing chair by the window. Nobody spoke for a long moment. Eric and his friend both just looked at me. I was starting to feel nervous. I wished I had just gone straight to Lala's house.

"I don't mean to be rude to y'all, but I was just on my way out. What can I do for you?"

"Sookie, I would like you to meet Niall Brigant." Eric's voice was strange, his accent more pronounced. I might be mistaken, but I was sure he looked and sounded nervous. It made me suddenly very nervous.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Brigant." I nodded politely at him, my hands knit together in my lap.

"The pleasure is mine, child." I took a good, long look at my visitor, really taking him in. After my initial shock at his appearance, it became easier to not see the little things that screamed "Not Human!". The longer we sat there, the more normal he seemed. But I knew the difference. I looked at Eric sideways, my eyebrows raised.

"What do you want, Eric?" He looked at me for a moment, his blue eyes intense. He opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut again. It took a few seconds before he spoke again. I wished he'd stayed silent when he did finally speak.

"Niall Brigant is the Prince of the Fae, Sookie." I'm sure I looked surprised as all get out. Seriously? Prince of the Fae? Did that mean fairy? Eric suddenly spoke again, his voice soft. "The Prince is your great-grandfather, Sookie."

Well, damn. This is so not going to be the night I wanted.

* * *

><p><strong><em>There you have it - another one completed. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter. I'm trying to move the story along, but it's taking it's own time, it seems. Is it moving too slow for you all?<em>**

**_The next chapter is coming up soon - hopefully tomorrow._**


	19. Holy Freakin' Medieval

**_Just wanted to send a shout out to all the folks who've been reviewing my story, especially those of you who take the time to tell me what you think each chapter. You are all so sweet, and you are truly providing the motivation to keep this moving as fast as it is! _**

**_Your review make me want to write even more._**

**_As always, I own nothing._**

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

I monitored Sookie very closely through the bond, and watched her facial expressions like a hawk as our meeting progressed. Her tone of voice was analyzed as I even tried to assign weight to the few words she used. Her body language betrayed nothing as she sat primly on her seat just a couple of feet from me. Hands folded neatly in her lap, ankles crossed demurely. Her shoulders were set, her back perfectly straight.

All my careful monitoring and assessing did me absolutely no good whatsoever. I didn't have a fucking clue how she was receiving the information being heaped upon her. Most humans would have cracked under the pressure by now, but my Sookie was taking this like a champ. I think. I really can't fucking tell, and it's eating at me.

The truth was, she was sitting quietly, listening to the information her newly met great-grandfather and I were heaping upon her lovely shoulders. She nodded in all the appropriate places, even questioned us several times in her slow, lilting accent. Her eyes shot back and forth between us as she processed the answers we provided. It had been a half an hour since we sat down in her cozy living room. She'd barely spoken, leaving the Prince and I to do the talking while she absorbed what was being asked of her.

If I had use for breath, I would say my breath was bated. If I had a beating heart, I would say it skipped a beat. If I had a functioning digestive track, I would say my stomach was in knots. If I were human, I would say all those things. But I am vampire, and my body betrayed none of the turmoil I was experiencing in my head as I waited for Sookie to respond to Niall's question.

"So, you see, my child, this really is the very best option for you. You will be kept safe, kept from harm." Brigant paused here, his glacial blue eyes holding steady on his great-grandchild. My Sookie. "If there were any other solution, I can assure you I would have considered other options. But there is not." He shot a glance in my direction before continuing. "I have known the Northman for centuries, Sookie. He is not a bad man. I trust him with your life. Will you trust us to make the right decisions for you?"

She continued to sit and listen quietly, her eyes on Niall the entire time he spoke. When he finished, she immediately flickered her gaze towards me. I thought I detected a hint of a smile on her full, rose tinted lips. It was gone before I could be sure. I could almost see the gears churning in her brain, watched as her face scrunched up in concentration. She betrayed so little of what was happening in that beautiful head of hers, I couldn't even make a guess what she was thinking.

The silence in the room was starting to wear on my nerves, but I was loathe to step into the void myself. I watched her face as she contemplated the choices laid before her. The only indication of her state of mind was the nervousness of her pearly teeth worrying her full bottom lip. I wondered for the hundredth time what she was thinking.

"Is that everything?" When she did speak, it wasn't what I was expecting.

"The basics, yes." I replied to her, speaking quietly. I hoped she would look my way again, but she kept her gaze trained on Niall, her newly acquired kin. "There would be much more for you and I to discuss later. Privately." I felt positive she would be uncomfortable discussing such intimate behavior in front of him.

Her silence returned, and I could only assume she was considering the facts she had been given. Niall, while coaching his words in soft tones, had been far blunter in his delivery than I would have liked. We didn't have the luxury of time of our side, but I still felt irked by Niall's matter-of-fact manner as he divulged his fairytale. Sookie had taken the news of her fae ancestry better than I had anticipated, likely due to her brief interaction with Claudine, whom Niall had explained was assigned to Sookie as her fairy godmother. This had been news to me, but Sookie had nodded as if Claudine's purpose was no surprise. The only distress she had shown was when the fairy had explained her grandmother's infidelity. Her face had remained impressively passive, but I had heard her increased heartbeat and felt her shock and indignation through our blood tie. She made me proud with her calm acceptance of Niall's startling revelations, even as I could feel her rage internally against the truth.

Her rage had flickered again when she had heard of the danger she faced from my Queen, Sophie-Ann LeClerq, but once again she had masked herself well. I wondered briefly if Niall had any indication of her emotional state, but he continued his tale without pause. I assumed he either couldn't feel her, or just simply didn't care enough to be more delicate. Maybe he was fooled by her poker face, but I wasn't. I was, however, endlessly impressed with her ability to mask her reactions. She was a master of the craft.

When the Prince presented her with the solution he had conjured up, her bonding herself to me for protection, she interrupted him for the first time.

"If we do this," she spared me a quick glance, a faint blush rising in her cheeks, "I would be safe from your Queen?"

"Yes." I spoke quickly, needing to reassure her my promises of the night before stood. I would protect her at all costs. Even my own life. "Vampire law is clear on the rights of a bonded pair. It would be my right to exact revenge on any who harmed you."

"But if they killed you, they could still take me, right? Who will protect you from her?" Her question had stunned me. Not only was she right on target with her thoughts, reaching the same conclusion I myself had reached, but it seemed her first reaction had been to think of me. I didn't know what to make of it. I looked at her, taking in the brightness of her eyes as she watched me.

"I will be fine, little one. I am old and strong. There are few who could take me, and none of them are in Louisiana's service. Most with the strength and the skill are allies, anyway." I answered her, reaching out to briefly touch her hand in reassurance. I stroked my thumb across the back of her hand and felt sparks shoot through me as we touched. I rapidly drew my hand back, needing to maintain my focus. "And your Great-Grandfather has assured me he will recognize our union officially. No vampire, monarch or not, will dare to harm you once the Prince's protection is known. That protection would extend beyond my death, in any case."

She had sat still for a moment, her face a blank slate. She seemed to come to a decision before long and simply nodded at Niall to continue speaking.

She had absorbed the information regarding her emerging Fae spark with equal aplomb, only questioning Niall on basic matters relating to the spark, what it meant. Her questions were intelligent and thoughtful, but she failed to ask any questions specific to her own situation, even though Niall had outright told her she was a rare case. She only asked about what Fae powers were, and how they manifested. I felt only the same sense of determination and disbelief from her. Not a good sign, considering. She truly was an enigma.

I found it interesting to note Niall's omission of any discussion of Sookie's supposed Fae bond with me. He'd thrown it at me twice now, but didn't tell Sookie she had, according to Niall, already bound herself to me by Fae traditions. Niall had claimed she had already "Chosen" me. I wondered to myself about his reasoning, but eventually I had to concede it might be a good idea to not bring it up right now. She had much to digest already. To inform her she had essentially made a life changing decision while unconscious, with me forcing my blood into her system - well, it might be better to divulge that information later. If Niall is correct in his assumptions, there's nothing she can do about it now. Waiting to tell her almost seemed more merciful, now that I thought about it.

"Do you have any questions, my child?" The Prince was preparing to wrap up the evening. I desperately wanted him to leave so I could speak with Sookie alone. If we were going to consider furthering our bond, we really needed to at least have a conversation first. What Niall was suggesting wasn't to be taken lightly. I was already borderline psychotic in my attraction to this girl, but I couldn't be rash in my decision. I had a feeling she would feel the same way. The relationship between us was fledgling, at best. To commit to a bond as permanent as this was a major undertaking.

It suddenly seemed absurd to be sitting here, having such a conversation with the Prince of the Fae, and his part-fae great-grandchild, who just happened to be the bane of my entire thousand year existence. I wondered sometimes if I were perhaps insane, and didn't know it. I'd seen many vampires succumb to sickness of the mind. Most had believed themselves to be perfectly sane right up to their final death.

"Not right now." Sookie stood to her feet, looking expectantly at the two of us. Niall rose to stand in front of her, while I reluctantly gave up my seat on the couch, rising to my full height, positioning myself slightly closer to Sookie as I did so. "I'm sure I'll think of a few, and I'm sure y'all will answer me then. For right now, I must ask you excuse my rudeness, but I have plans. And I'm already late."

"I have greatly enjoyed our time together, my child. I only wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances." Niall Brigant, the Prince of all Fae, bowed formally to her, taking a couple of steps to close the distance between them. He lifted her hand to his lips, and placed a kiss on the back of her small, tanned hand. "Claudine will come see you tomorrow, Sookie. She can answer any questions you have about your spark. I trust Mr. Northman can answer any questions you might have regarding the vampire matters." Releasing her hand, Niall gave another small bow to the blonde beauty at my side. "I will be in touch, Northman."

And with a bright POP, he was gone. We were alone. I turned slightly, meaning to reclaim my seat on the sofa, but she surprised me by walking briskly from the living room. She didn't speak a word. I followed her, slowly, giving her the time she needed to process what had just happened. There was still plenty of time for talking before I had to return to Fangtasia. Unfortunately, I still had to handle all the Area business for this evening. My first appointment were in just over an hour, but they would wait. This was more important to me right now.

I was puzzled to see her pick up a bag from the floor. I vaguely remembered seeing her holding it, then dropping it when we entered her home. She held it firmly in her grasp, and turned to face me. She still hadn't spoken.

"Sookie?" She was at the front door, her hand on the doorknob. She was watching me intently, but still wasn't speaking. I was slightly bewildered by her non-responsiveness. The Sookie Stackhouse I knew, albeit only slightly, just wasn't this quiet. I tried to probe the bond between us, but it told me much the same story as it had all night. Determination. Disbelief. And a whole host of more complex, swirling feelings I couldn't hope to identify. They were uniquely hers and only served to remind me how much I still needed to learn about this woman.

"Eric?" She parroted my name back at me, one eyebrow raised in a perfect imitation of me. She was mocking me. I couldn't prevent the grin that cracked my face. She was always going to catch me off-guard.

"Look, Eric. It's like this. I really do appreciate all you're doing for me. All you've done for me. I really do. I appreciate you introducing me to my Great-Grandfather, but just so you know? A girl might like some warning before supernatural royalty appears on her doorstep. Especially when the royalty is my long lost darned family!" She gave me an exasperated look, accompanied by an equally exasperated sigh.

"I've had a really rough couple of days, you know? And now I've added another freaky crazy ass night to my list. Right now, tonight? The last thing I needed was for the two of you to come marching into my home, unannounced and uninvited, and start telling me how my life was goin' to be. No, Eric. I don't know how things work in your world, and I sure a heck don't know about his world, but around here, we just don't do this kind of thing. I mean, seriously, Eric. That was like some kind of crazy. My fairy Prince of a great grandfather - who I've never met before - offering me and my future to a man I barely even know! No offense, Eric, but holy freakin' medieval!" She shook her head vigorously, her pony tail flying around her face. "Like I said, I'm real appreciative, and I know you and I gotta talk about a whole lot. But right now I have a date with a bottle of tequila that I don't intend on breaking." She opened the door and swung it wide. Stepping out on the porch, she called over her shoulder, "You can stay here or you can go. But I'm leaving. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

One final wave over her shoulder, the girl - the enchanting woman - I'm slowly becoming obsessed with, bounced down over her stairs and got into her car, throwing her bag into the backseat. Swiftly starting up her rickety old car, she drove off, her taillights trailing down the long, tree-lined driveway. She never even looked back.

I stood in her doorway for a long moment before I closed the door firmly behind me, making sure it was closed. With a great leap, I took to the sky, easily following the small yellow car as it wound it's way through the streets of Bon Temps.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Short chapter, I know, but I really wanted to get one out to you all tonight. I promise I will make it up with a much longer, more lemon scented one tomorrow.<em>**

**_That is, if you are all in the mood for some lemony goodness. What do you say? Review!_**


	20. Oh, oh, oh, Eric!

**_Thanks for all your kind words, everyone. I'm still surprised anyone's reading this. Your reviews, messages, alerts and favoriting is truly are truly inspiring._**

**_Thank you._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

I raced up over the stairs, as fast as my feet could carry me. My heart was pounding out of my chest, my blood pumping furiously. Panting, I glanced over my shoulder, sure the vampire pursuing me could hear my elevated heartbeat. The adrenaline pumping through me would surely give me away, even if my noisy heart didn't.

There was no one on the stairs behind me. I was alone.

My heart fluttered, my breath hitching in my throat.

I slid across the hardwood floors on the landing, pushing open the bedroom door, closing it quietly behind me. I leaned my head against the doorjam briefly, letting my heart rate settle down. I couldn't believe I made it all the way up here without being caught. The vampire must not be as motivated as I thought.

I stood in the dark room, wondering what was taking him so long. I knew he would come for me. I shiver ran down my spine as I remembered how he'd growled at me, how his hands had reached to grab me as I eluded his grasp in the living room.

"Thinking about something, lover?" Eric's voice floated seductively through the chill air in the room. "I hope it's about me."

I jumped, shrieking as I turned and finally noticed him lying back on, his huge body sprawling across more than his fair share of the bed. He was stark naked, adorned only by the pendant he always wore. It winked at me in the moonlight, shivering against the movement of his pectorals. Movement that was caused by the motion of Eric's large hand stroking up and down the length of his rock hard cock.

"Eric! No fair!" I ran at him, throwing myself up on the high bed, hating how mesmerized I was by the motion of his hand. "How did you get here before me?"

"Vampire, remember?" He smirked at me, but didn't stop his hypnotic movements. "Superior speed? Awesome flying skills?"

"That's cheating!" Damned vampires and their damned super abilities. "You knew I wouldn't win."

I pouted at him, trying to infuse as much sex kittenish appeal as possible. We had started fooling around in the living room, stretched out on the couch. Somewhere along the way, we'd gotten into a playful struggle for control. It had been Eric's suggestion to settle it with a bet - first one to the bedroom got to take control. I was already naked, while I knew Eric's pants were lodged somewhere between his knees and ankles. I had pretended to consider his proposal before suddenly bolting to my feet, flying across the room and up the stairs.

And the damned cheater had cheated and won.

"I played fair and square, lover. I never promised to play by your rules." His intense blue eyes captured mine. The hunger emanating there caused a fresh wave of desire to flood through me. "And now I intend on having my prize."

In a flash, I was flat on my back, with a large, Oh, God, a very large vampire looming over me, his quivering cock brushing back and forth across the sensitive skin just below my belly button. His pendant hung low between us, the cool metal scraping back and forth across my nipple, causing the already hard peak to tighten further, the flesh around it pebbling with goose bumps. His fangs peaked out from below his lip, and my head instinctively fell backwards, tilting my bared neck in his direction.

He didn't disappoint. He leaned ever closer to me until the sharp points were skimming down the column of my throat. A liquid heat pooled in my abdomen as my back arched, trying to push myself closer to the delicious torment. He pulled away, chuckling. I groaned in frustration.

"I won, remember?" He nipped the side of my neck, but nowhere near hard enough to break the skin. "We play by my rules now, lover."

I closed my eyes as I listened to his words. Already aroused from our downstairs foreplay, I could feel the wetness sliding from me as his words shot bolts of desire though me. His voice was just this side of hoarse, rough with passion, his accent more pronounced. I knew how much he needed me, but I knew he was taking his victory seriously. I was his for the night. He called all the shots from here on out. I couldn't help the involuntary clenching my insides were doing. Eric showing his dominating, controlling side in the bedroom was always enough to get me going. And he knew it.

"Yes, I remember." I moaned out my reply as he bent his head to take a hard, aching nipple into his mouth. He rolled the nub around on his tongue, sucking gently, his teeth scraping slightly, back and forth. "You won. I'm yours." He rewarded my agreement with a long, hard pull of my nipple, dragging the surrounding flesh into his mouth. With a gentle pop, he released me, only to blow cool air over the wet skin. I tensed and squirmed until his hips pressed harder against me, stilling my movements.

"I wonder how I should celebrate my victory." He held himself off me with one arm, the other trailing up and down my torso, the fingers trailing so frustratingly lightly on my skin. I could feel goosebumps rise to greet each pass of his fingers. "So many possibilities, lover." He leaned down to slip my over-sensitized nipple back into his mouth, suckling like a child. He kept up the soothing motion for endless seconds before I felt the slightest pressure from his fang on the tip of my stiffened breast.

I cried his name as I felt the tip barely penetrate my delicate flesh.

The slight pain was exquisite. I wanted more.

I wanted him to bite me and fuck me and rub himself all over me.

But I knew without a doubt he would make me wait.

As if he were reading my thoughts, he laughed a little as he pulled away from my barely bleeding nipple. In one smooth move, I was on my stomach, my bare back and ass exposed to him. Large, cool hands settled at the tops of my thighs, just below my ass. Strong fingers massaged my flesh firmly, his thumbs dipping and sliding between my thighs, constantly brushing against my swollen lips, but never penetrating any deeper. Applying just enough pressure to direct my movements, Eric slowly spread my thighs wider and settled his hips into the space he'd created. I could feel the hard, silky tip of him pressing against my ass and I wiggled in response. I wanted more.

Smack! His hand fell to my ass, slapping me lightly. I stilled my movements, groaning loudly into the pillow in front of me. He was such a damned tease.

I felt his hand slide down my ass, caressing as he dipped between my thighs once again. His cool hand found my overheated center, and I cried out with the delicious contrast. He cupped my mound easily with his large hand, his palm pressing rhythmically against me. I pushed back against each press, writhing my hips. I could feel my wetness seeping out to cover his hand. There was a time I would have been easily embarrassed by my body's reaction, but now I was proud of the evidence of my desire. I could feel him spreading my wetness upwards, his fingers spreading my fluids up through the crack of my ass. He was deliberately, provocatively not touching where I needed him most.

His body shifted and I felt his hand move to his steely hardness. I raised my hips, hoping to entice him, but he laughed, dragging his hardness up through my slippery folds until he was encased in the slippery channel between my ass cheeks. His hands kneaded my ass, squeezing the globes together to create extra pressure and friction on his straining erection. The sensations were incredibly erotic, and my heat increased exponentially as I tried to form a visual in my head of the position he held us in. He thrust gently against me, his silky hardness slipping between us. I imagined his thick head peaking out, pearly drops of his excitement falling on my skin. I clenched together as tight as I could, trying to drive him as crazy as he was making me.

My moaning was a constant reminder of my increasing need.

"What's the matter, lover?" He purred into my ear, his body leaning forward until he was pressed against my back. His pendant, always cool from the contact with his skin, settled against my spine. I shivered beneath him. I was rewarded with answering tremors from him. No matter how he tormented me, I knew he was as anxious as I. He just had better control.

"Eric. Please." I panted at him, trying to twist my head to see him better. "Please, baby. Fuck me."

He only grunted in response, flexing against me. I felt him pull back, his hands sliding from my shoulders to caress down the length of my back. He continued to thrust himself against my ass and soon his lips and tongue joined his rhythm, licking and kissing up and down my spine, laying feathery, teasing caresses in his path. His strong hands skimmed the sides of my body, running across my sensitive rib cage, up to stroke and fondle the sides of my breasts.

"You want to be fucked? Do you want me to put my big cock inside you, lover?" His voice was incredibly rough, husky with need and passion. I wanted him to do just that, and so much more.

"Yes!" I cried out, wanting to beg him to fill me, to pound into me.

"Then tell me, lover. Tell me what you want." He encouraged me, his voice teasing me.

"I want your cock, Eric. I need you to put your cock inside me." I whispered the words, unable to draw enough breath to speak louder. But it was enough for my vampire.

"Like this?" Without warning, he drew back and plunged his hard length into me. I whimpered as he sank deep inside me. Yes, just like that.

He moved slowly, sliding in deeply before pulling almost completely out. It was what I wanted, but it wasn't nearly enough. I squirmed, trying to drive my hips back against his retreating shaft. He responded by placing his hands on my hips, holding me in place. He continued to slide slowly inside me, his cock driving me insane.

"Harder. Harder, Eric." I moaned the words to him, pleading for what I really wanted the most. I was on fire. He was going to let me burn alive.

He did exactly what I wanted him to do. He pounded into me, going faster, harder and deeper than before. It was working so well, I could feel myself tighten around his length, trying to draw him back into me as he pulled out. I was getting closer and closer, my breath coming in frantic gasps.

"Eric, baby. Eric. Eric, I'm going to come! You're going to make me come!" The strangled words were gasped out, punctuated with grunts caused by his relentless plunging.

As soon as the words left my mouth, the pleasurable movements slowed, and then ceased altogether. I was sobbing with frustration, my face buried in the pillow before me. Eric's hands caressed my hips briefly, before I was mourning the loss of his granite hardness.

In one smooth move, I was on my back, spread across the bed, my feet dangling over the edge. Eric quickly followed, kneeling between my legs. His face replaced his thrusting hips, his chilled lips wrapping around my seriously engorged clit.

My head fell back to the bed, and a loud wail escaped my lips. Oh, sweet baby jesus, he knew exactly where every nerve ending was, knew exactly how to make each one sing. My frustration was temporarily forgotten as his mouth and tongue made sweet, sweet love to me. His tongue flattened out, and I felt every muscle in my thighs clench when he repeatedly dragged his tongue up and down my swollen, dripping wet slit. Incoherent noises came from my throat, strangled sounds of pleasure being wrung from me with every flick of his tongue.

His hands slid up and down my dangling calves, his long fingers wrapping around my ankles, raising my feet to rest on the edge of the high bed. I felt feverish, my arousal encompassing my entire body. My knees fell to the sides, leaving myself spread wantonly before him, opening me to his questing tongue. I felt it delve inside me, stroking my walls roughly, plunging and dipping, twisting and turning. I scream his name when two of his fingers take the place of his tongue. He's driving them deep inside me, mimicking the action I want the most.

His clever tongue resumes worshiping my swollen clit, tearing incoherent cries of pleasure from my throat. I hummed and moaned, groaned and cried as he pleasured me with such exquisite torment. I could feel myself building, climbing towards the peak. The tension building low in my belly caused my hips to buck and shake, driving myself harder against his invading fingers. Even when he threw his arm over my hips, anchoring me firmly in place, I couldn't stop the motion of my hips, driving them deeper into the mattress in counter-motion to his strokes.

I was nearly there again.

I tensed, every fiber of my being screaming for release. Release only he could ever provide.

I screamed out his name, my voice echoing around the room.

"Do it, Eric! Do it." I knew what I needed, what I craved.

The sweet bliss of his fangs in my flesh.

"Bite me, Eric. Make me come, baby. Now! Now! Now!" I sobbed the words out brokenly, consumed with my desire to feel my life flow into his.

He gave my wet core one final lick before slowly moving his golden head to the side, his face a scant inch from my thigh. I heard his fangs snick into place and closed my eyes, focusing all my energy into my impending orgasm.

He laughed. Loud, raucous laughs.

"Oooh, ooh. Baby." He whooped with laughter.

I pulled myself up to my elbows to look at him. I was seriously annoyed - what the hell was so damned funny?

"Oh, hookah. You's got it bad for your sweet hunk of vampire."

What?

"Get your sweet ass up on offa my couch and come eat some of this breakfast I got made."

I blinked, shaking my head. Lafayette? What the hell?

"Come on now, sweet thang." He stood there grinning at me. "Now! Now! Now!"

Oh, hell. I threw myself back onto the couch, groaning as my now throbbing head hit the pillow behind me. I hauled the blanket over my face, blocking the sunlight streaming through the living room window. And Lala's winking, grinning self.

A dream. A freaking dream! I wanted to die.

I really wanted to die as I wondered how loud I was. Judging by Lafayette's cheery greeting, Eric must have been mentioned.

I rolled my eyes and screwed up my face when he slowly dragged the blanket off me.

"Oh, no, baby girl. You do not get to go hiding under there. You gonna get up, drink this coffee and tell me alls about it. Eric, oh, oh, oh, Eric!" He was grinning at me, looking none the worse for wear. I threw my pillow in his face to make him shut it when he started imitating me. If it were anyone but Lafayette, I would be running for the door, shriveling with embarrassment.

"Oh, shut up! You are not funny, you hear me?" I stood up, feeling immediately woozy. Oh, right. Tequila! I really needed the bathroom and a toothbrush. "I'll be back."

It took three cups of coffee, two pieces of toast and a banana before I felt any better at all. But it was apparently the magic tipping point for Lafayette.

"Ready to talk about oh, oh, oh, Eric yet?" He ducked and laughed when I pitched the banana peel at him.

"His name is Eric, got it? Nothing else. And no, I don't want to talk about it." I could feel my face flushing even at the thought of it.

"Sookie baby, you've been talking bout nothin' else all damned morning." He looked at me over the rim of his coffee cup. His hazel brown eyes were already beautifully made up, his eyeliner perfect. He was wrapped in the most beautiful gold silk kimono. It made his damned skin glow, like he hadn't drank as much tequila, if not more, than me. A turquoise and gold fringed head scarf completed the look, the long ends hanging over one shoulder.

I glared at him. I looked, and felt, like something the cat dragged in.

"The way I figure it, baby girl, you needs to be talking about this shit. Whether you want to admit it or not, you's got a bad thing for this vampire." He placed his cup back on the table. "If ya got to be making some decisions today, maybe you should talk. Or at least think about it."

I got up to fix another cup of coffee. I glanced at the clock, grateful to see I still had a couple of hours before work. This was going to be another epically long day. I returned to the table and sat down, staring into my coffee cup for a minute, gathering my thoughts in my hangover ravaged mind.

"I don't know, Lala. I don't know what to do." That was the plain truth. I knew what I wanted, but was realistic enough to know the vampire who visited my dreams was just that - a dream lover. I had to stop comparing the real Eric to him. It wasn't fair to either of us, and really not fair to him. No real person could live up to a perfect example.

We'd gone a few rounds on this subject last night, but as I recall it, making decisions regarding hugely powerful supernatural beings is seriously not recommended when doing tequila shots. I had to grin when I remembered the night. I'd been pissed, so incredibly pissed as I drove over. I couldn't believe the gall of those men - fairy, vampire, whatever. The only thing that had prevented a full scale eruption of my temper had been the underlying concern I'd felt from each of them. They genuinely believed they were doing right by me, but holy God in heaven, what a way to go at it!

I'd tried to block it all out of my head when I arrived at Lafayette's and blew into the house with a smile.

"Hey, bitches!" I'd called to them. "What are you doing, starting without me?"

"Hey, Sookie! Just in time, girl. Have a shot!" Tara poured up a third and passed it over. We raised our shots in the air shouted in the air. "Tequila!"

Four or five shots later, I felt as loose as a goose, and laughed my ass off at the two of them. We'd all been close since we were kids, but Tara and Lafayette were cousins. Both had struggled with shitty parental situations, and as a result had leaned on each other even more. The three of us had always been close. The Three Musketeers. We laughed and told old stories for hours, until JB arrived to pick Tara up at 1:30. Lala and I rolled on the floor in laughter as Tara tried to tell JB she wasn't drunk at all. Couldn't stand straight without his help, but no siree, she wasn't drunk. It was the best laugh I'd had in weeks.

Lafayette and I continued to talk and drink, but it wasn't long before I started to spill my guts, the whole weird story pouring from me with drunken incoherence. What can I say? I never could hold my alcohol, and if there was anyone I trusted with my secrets, it was Lafayette. He just listened to me ramble, pouring up a new shot every once in a while. I knocked 'em back like a pro and kept on talking.

"You see what I'm talkin' bout, Lala? I'm just a broke barmaid from the backwoods where everyone thinks I'm half cracked. What am I supposed to know about all this supernatural crap?"

"The only thing you needs to be concernin' yourself about, Sook, is this vampire of yours. Do you want him?"

"I think so."

"You's got to better than that if you gonna tie yourself to him forever."

"I know! But, Lala, I just don't know! I'm so damned confused." I picked up the shot in front of me and downed it, grimacing as it burned down my throat. "I mean, I don't even know him. I think I do, but I don't. I know the Eric I dream of. This Eric is a mystery."

"Does he want you?" The million dollar question.

"He wants me, sure. I think so, anyway. But what about after he's had me? How long can I possibly hold his attention, Lala? He's old as the hills, he's probably had thousands of women. THOUSANDS, Lala. And he's so gorgeous, I'm sure he's had his pick of every beautiful woman he wants. How can I compete with that? I'm still a virgin, for cripes sake!"

"First of all, baby girl, you's beautiful as anyone of them women. Even more hot cause you don't even know it. Second, everyone's a virgin in the beginning. Most of us go tumbling around with all the wrong people and learn nothing. If I'd a had a shot with a sex god vampire for my first time, oh, baby! I'd a taken it in a heartbeat." He paused to fan himself dramatically, his wide eyes batting coquettishly.

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to hear what those damned fang bangers were thinkin' of him, Lala!" I wailed the words out, letting the pain escape. "It's like he's had sex with all of them. _All_ of them, Lala. Sometimes more than one at a time! How can I ever live up to that? He's obviously never goin' to be satisfied with just one woman. How could he?"

"Oh, baby girl. Oh, Sooks, don't you's be worrying bout that." He shook his head emphatically. "Vampire or not, your man is still a man, honey. And a man will take what a man can get. Don't mean we's all don't want no better. You, sugar, you's as good as it gets. He'd be the lucky one to get you, not the other way around, no matter how hot his ass is."

I snorted. "Easy for you to say. _You_ haven't seen his ass."

"Tell me all about it, hookah. I's all ears."

I laughed at the eager look on his face. I'm blaming it all on the tequila, but I drunkenly decided to have a little fun with him.

"Lala, if it were only the ass, but it's just so much more! I mean, it is spectacular. If there were an international butt competition, Eric would win, hands down or cheeks up, so to speak!"

I starting laughing when I thought about what I was saying, and before long I was cracking myself up, wiping the tears from my eyes. I really was drunk. Lafayette whistled, and it cracked me up all over again.

"He's sooo tall - he's got to be six four or six five. And he's big. I don't mean regular big, I mean gigantic, fearsome warrior huge. His shoulders are so wide, I'm sure I could sit on one side alone! His arms are as big as my thighs, and his chest? He's like one of those Greek statues - it is like someone carved him out of marble!" I nearly lost it at the look in Lala's eyes, but I continued describing Eric's many attributes. There were a lot of them. "His legs are so strong, he's just nothing but muscles everywhere. Honest to goodness, Lala, they're like damned tree trunks. And, of course, he has huge feet."

I snuck a look at Lala's face and cracked up all over again.

"And you know what they say about big feet, don't you Lafayette?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him. He was looking at me with a shocked expression. Somehow, when I'd been telling him my new life story earlier, I'd managed to not say anything about what happened with Eric in my bedroom the other night. I'd told him about kissing in Eric's office the first night, but nothing else. Now I could see his facial expressions change as he registered what I was alluding to.

"Sookie Stackhouse, what have you been doing?" He reached over and poured us up another shot. I hardly needed it, but shot it down anyway. What the hell. "And just how big are his feet, and by feet, you's knows what I mean."

"Let's say it's a gracious plenty, Lala." I giggled as his eyes widened. "A _very_ gracious plenty." I really tried not to laugh anymore. My face was hurting already.

"Nope, uh-uh, bitch! You's can't stop there. Just how gracious and plenty are we's talking about?" The look on his face was priceless.

I blushed a little, no matter how bold the tequila made me, but I held up my hands, holding them apart to give a wordless response. His jaw dropped. I think I'd managed to shock him. And that's so not easy to do.

"Shit, hookah." He breathed the words out, staring at me with wide eyes. "You's serious bout that?" His mouth fell open when I nodded. "That's a _hella_ lot more than gracious, baby girl. You's going to tell me how your virgin ass knows about Mr. Sex God's junk?"

"Nope." I grinned at him, sticking my tongue out. "It's none of your beeswax, Mr. Nosy. Some things are just between me and Eric."

"Oh, you's going to tell me, hookah. One day, you's going to be telling me all. I can wait." He shook his head. "But just one more question, Ms. Thang. Does the width match the length?" He winked at me. "Cause if it do, baby girl, you's got to get you's some of that!"

I jumped off the couch, flying at him, pushing him back onto the rug and playfully pummeling him until he cried uncle. We laughed our asses off for a long time, teasing and tormenting, Lala trying to get more out of me. I wouldn't give in, and eventually we quieted down.

Lafayette must have put me on the couch, because the last thing I remember of my date with tequila was lying on my back with Lafayette on the living room floor. The lights were off, with dozens of his candles burning everywhere around the room. We were quiet, just listening to the radio play in the background.

Looking at him now in the cold light of day, I knew he was right in what he was saying. I told Eric I'd talk to him tonight. Tonight! I know what they said about not having much time, but come on! We're talking about a major, major commitment. To a vampire I loved in my dreams, but one I hadn't gotten the chance to really know in real life.

As much as I tried to pretend otherwise, I was scared to death. We're not just talking about dating, or a relationship, or even a bloody marriage. We're talking a life long, permanent connection through magical blood ties. Blood ties that might turn on my fairy side, according to my great-grandfather. I was still blown away by that little bombshell. I still didn't know how I felt about being a fairy, of all things! How was I supposed to feel about maybe getting another set of undefined "powers"? I blew the air from my lungs noisily.

"Can you even believe it, Lafayette?" I shrugged. "Who ever would have thought I'd have these kind of problems?"

"Problems! You's got yourself a sexy ass powerful Viking vampire who's offering to protect you with that big ol' body of his for the rest of your life!" He snorted at me. "If you's thinking that's your problem, well..."

"Be serious!" I scolded him. "We're talking about permanent, Lala! Like for the rest of my life! What kind of thing is that to have to decide?"

"Ahright, so you's got a couple of choices. You's can take your chances on your own. Or run away, start over somewhere's else. Or you can believe what these dudes are sayin' to y'all." He was all business now, his face as serious as a pastor on Sunday. "You's the one who said it, baby girl. The dudes are powerful, old and strong. And saying you's might be in trouble forever." He reached across the table and took my hand in his. "Whatever you decide, Sook, you's knows I'll be there for you, but if I was you, I'd a be talking to that vampire and asking when we needed to do this before he goes and changes his mind."

"I know." I sighed and squeezed his hand in return. "It's not like I'm not recognizing the sacrifices he's making here - after all, he gets saddled with me forever, too. A human he just met." I dropped my eyes for a moment and laughed quietly. "I guess I can't even say that anymore. A human fairy would be more like it."

"No time to be gettin' sad, Tinkerbell!" Lala laughed at his own joke, while I leveled my very best you-can't-be-serious look at him. "You's got too much to do. I's was thinking about something this morning. They's telling you this freak callin' herself a Queen wants you for your mindreading stuff, right? And your vampire lover man said you would be real valuable to her, right?" I nodded and he continued. "I's was thinking if this bitch wants you to work for her, you's should set youself a nice high rate and charge through the nose for your help. Bitch can't say no unless she wants your great-grandpappy to rain some fairy dust down on her dead ass."

I stared at him for a moment. My jaw slowly dropped as what he said registered. I laughed. "Oh, my God! That would so serve her right!" It was brilliant, actually. Eric and the Prince had told me last night that even if bonded to Eric, the Queen could still request my services. Eric wouldn't be able to refuse. But no one said I couldn't charge her. This was work she would expect me to do. Harder than anything I do at Merlotte's. I laughed again. "Maybe I should set up my own mindreading business. Think I'd get any customers?" I grinned at him before laughing again. "But I'm tellin' Eric I expect to get paid if he has to let me work for her. Why not?"

"That's right, Sook. If you let them all think you's scared of them, they's gonna walk all over you. But if they's understanding right from the beginning that you's one they shouldn't mess with, well, it might help, especially if you gots your great-grandpappy at your back."

"Thanks, Lafayette." I got up to give him a hug. "Even if Eric tells me it's not something I can ask for, this was still the best idea I've heard lately!"

"If they wants you, make 'em pay. Don't let 'em say no." He replied stubbornly, returning my hug.

"Lala, do you think it's weird that even though they tell me the Prince's protection would be powerful enough to protect Eric, it wouldn't be enough to protect me without Eric? There's something about it that just doesn't make sense to me." I wasn't ready to call Niall Brigant my great-grandfather yet. Way too bizarre for me.

"Nows you mention it, yeah. Somethin' not right with that shit." Lafayette frowned at me. "Ask your vampire about that, too. Are you's gonna see the big hunk of burning love tonight?"

"I kind of have to, I guess. I'm working until 12:00, but I guess I'll have to go to Fangtasia after." I shuddered a little, thinking of my last visit. "I wish I didn't have to go there again. It's going to be weird."

"You's want me to go with ya, baby girl? How's about we come straight here after work, and get all dolled up? We'll take that place by storm, hookah!" He smiled at me, looking me up and down. I knew he was imaging how he was going to "doll me up." Honestly, when we were younger, Tara and I often joked about feeling like Lala's Barbie dolls. He was always trying to be doing our hair and make-up. He always made me look better than I did, though, so whenever he wanted to do it, I let him have his way with me. If I had to go face Eric tonight, at least I could look damn good. And having Lala with me would make going in there so much less awkward.

"Would you do that for me, Lala? It'd mean the world not to have to do this all by myself."

"Sure thing. I wanna see this sex god vampire for myself."

I took another playful smack at him. He was totally incorrigible. We talked for another hour, drinking coffee and making plans, talking over my options and what I needed to ask Eric. Time flew, and before long it was time to get ready for work.

If I could only get rid of this damned hangover, the day would be looking up.

* * *

><p><strong><em>So, what do you all think? Lala's idea a good one, or not?<em>**

**_Review, and let me know what you think._**

**_ I'm working away at Chapter 21 now, and hope to get it up later on.  
><em>**


	21. Should I stay or should I go now?

**_I wanted to say thanks again to everyone who's showing this story such awesome support. You all rock! Every review means so much to me, and I'm sorry I haven't been able to get back to each of you the last few days, but I am trying to get as much of this done as I can with limited time. Please know I appreciate every one._**

**_You will be happy to know that as of today, this entire story has been completed in rough draft. Still a lot of writing to be done, and editing, but the story is fully plotted and outlined. Hope you are all in this for the long haul, because it looks like at least another 40 chapters to do justice to what I'm going for._**

**_I wanted to apologize for the sloppiness of the last chapter. I must have been far more tired than I thought when I posted it. I have no beta, so all mistakes are obviously mine. Sorry there were so many of them!  
><em>**

**_Enjoy the chapter, and as always, I own nothing. I just like to play with Eric._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

My shift flew by that evening, even though we weren't terribly busy. My thoughts had a chance to run free, and I'd finally started thinking about the Prince's revelations of the night before. I was no closer to being ready to accept the notion that I was in fact part fairy, but at least I was thinking about it all.

I was trying hard not to judge Gran for her part in all this, but I couldn't help but wonder what else I didn't know about her. All my life, she was just Gran. She was kind, sweet, considerate, wise and loving. These things I knew. I suddenly thought of that old expression about still waters running deep. Obviously, this was the case with Gran. I sighed as I thought of her. Lately, I felt as though I needed her as much as I did when I was a scared little girl.

I was at the service counter in the back, filling ketchup bottles and topping up the salt and pepper shakers when Sam came up beside me.

"Sookie?" He sounded a little odd. "Cher, there's a woman at the bar waiting to speak to you. It's kind of slow, too, so if you want to knock off when you're finished there, you can. Arlene says she can stay until close."

I looked at him in surprise. It was just after 10:00. I'd gladly take the extra time, but this was the second time this week Sam had let me go early. I wasn't going to argue, though. Lafayette had clocked out not long ago and had gone home to get ready. I was supposed to meet him after 12:00, but this would work so much better.

"Are you sure, Sam? I can stay, if you need me to." I would rather not, now that he'd given me an alternative, but I had to offer.

"No, Sook, you can go on, if you want. Or stay for your hours, but we're good. Don't worry."

"Alright, Sam, I'm going to finish up then. Who's at the bar to see me?" That was really strange. No one ever came here to see me.

"She said her name was Claudine?" Sam looked at me with a peculiar expression on his face. "Do you know her?"

Claudine. I'd almost forgotten the Prince saying she'd come see me today. Suddenly, I was really glad Sam was letting me go early.

"Yeah, she's a friend." And fairy godmother cousin, but I couldn't say that. "Could you tell her I'll be out in a few minutes?"

"Sure thing, Sook."

Five minutes later, I was done, and back out in the bar. I'd dropped my apron and grabbed my purse while I was back there, so I was good to go. I walked to the table where my fairy godmother sat, and dropped into a chair beside her. As before, she looked gorgeous again tonight. Her dark hair was styled into a deceptively simple knot on the back of her head, a few tendrils escaping around her temples and nape. She was impeccably outfitted in a formfitting sapphire blue dress, the color making her skin look even more milky white than before. The few customers left were staring at us. Sam, too.

"Hi." I smiled at her brightly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Sookie, my darling cousin!" Claudine exclaimed when she saw me. "How are you?"

"I'm great, Claudine, but if you don't mind," I lowered my voice and leaned closer to her, "could you keep it down on the cousin thing? I wish I could tell everyone, but you know what it's like. I could never explain you in a town where everyone knows everyone." All I needed was an old busybag like Maxinne Fortenberry to get a hold of this news! Lordy, she'd blow a gasket.

"I understand, Sookie. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." She looked apologetic, and I felt really bad. No matter how confusing all this fairy stuff was, I was really happy to have a new cousin. Jason was really all I had left for family. I would have loved to acknowledge my relationship with Claudine, but right now it was just too complicated.

"It's okay. What's up?

"Are you still working, or are you done for the night?"

"I'm done for the night, but I do have plans in a couple of hours." I had to stay firm in my head. I'd already tried to talk myself into postponing the trip to see Eric. I was determined I wasn't going to take the cowardly way and run from the difficult stuff. I would face him. But I still had lots of time to talk with Claudine.

"Do you have time for a chat, or should I come back another time?" She asked.

"If you don't mind, we could go to my house. I was supposed to get ready at Lafayette's, but I can do it at the house while we talk, if that's okay with you?" I can't explain it, but I felt totally at ease with her. It was as if we'd known each other forever, like me and Tara and Lafayette.

"Are you going out?" She was looking at me with such undisguised excitement in her eyes, I had to laugh.

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"Can I do your hair and make-up?" She pleaded with me while I looked at her with amusement. "Please, Sookie? It would be so much fun! I used to do it all the time for my sister."

I had kind of promised Lafayette I would let him "doll me up," but looking at Claudine, I just couldn't refuse her. Besides, it really did sound like fun, and by her own flawless appearance, I knew she'd do good by me. I'd have to call Lafayette and break the news, but he'd get over it. He was too excited about seeing Eric to stay mad with me.

"Only if you promise to make me look even half as good as you!" I smiled at her. "Want to get out of here?"

"You are so pretty, it'll be easy! Where are you going?"

I glanced around the bar, taking in all the eyes and ears trained on us. This was not a conversation I wanted to have here. I nodded at the door, and she got the hint, getting up and following me out the door. I didn't answer her question until we were in my car.

"I have to go to Shreveport. To Fangtasia."

"Fangtasia? You are going to see the vampire?" She sounded more interested than concerned. It was somewhat reassuring.

"Yes. I promised I would. We have to talk about some things." I glanced across the car. "I met Prince Niall last night. Eric brought him to my house."

"I know. I'm sorry, Sookie. I told him after that he was wrong in how he approached you." She sounded indignant on my behalf. "I'm afraid he can be a bit obtuse when it comes to human sensitivity. I know it all must have been a shock for you."

I laughed without much humor. "You could say that. And I told Eric off for the exact same thing. I mean, geez! My life has gotten pretty strange lately, but that one kinda stole the show, you know what I mean? It's not like you ever expect to be told you have supernatural blood, and it just so happens to be of royal lineage. I can honestly say I never expected to met a fairy Prince. To be told he's my long lost great-grandfather kind of takes it into the realm of fairy tales, you know?"

"I'm sure you have a ton of questions, and I promise you there will be another ton you will have later. I will try my best to answer all of them. This was not how we hoped it would happen, Sookie. It would have been much easier to meet under peaceful times, but I hope you understand why Niall and I both felt it was time to intervene."

"I get that I'm in danger, but I really don't understand it all, Claudine. I'm not important enough to cause all this fuss. But I really do appreciate you saving me the other night. I wanted to say thank you for that."

"It is my duty to look over you, Sookie, but it was my pleasure to help you. I will always try to be there for you, but you must understand I will be of little help if you are in large gatherings of vampires. It just won't be safe for me."

"I understand. I wanted to ask you, though, how you knew where to find me? How did you know I was in danger?" I had wondered that ever since.

"Niall told you about your spark, right? Well, fairies use their spark for all kinds of things. It's the base for our magic. If there is a blood connection, fairies can call one another, in a sense. Since I was assigned to be your godmother, our sparks were tied closer together, as is our tradition. I can sense if your spark is threatened."

I tried to absorb the idea, but I felt particularly dense when I thought about it. I knew nothing of what I supposedly was.

"The Prince told me I might develop some fairy abilities, Claudine. What does that mean? Is my telepathy a fairy thing?" It was the so-called "abilities" that had me the most freaked out. The one I had was enough trouble, I think. Look where it's gotten me - hunted by a crazy vampire Queen. What would happen if I got more abilities, maybe something even more desirable to vampires?

"The Fae are a very magical people, Sookie, and the talents and abilities of our people are extremely varied. Our bloodline, the royal Brigant blood, has always been known to be powerful, producing fairies with tremendous power. Niall is one of the most powerful and magical Fae to ever live." She even sounded in awe of the Prince. "The basic skills you might be expected to exhibit would be to control your light, which is what I used on the vampire. It's the ability to harness your energy and direct it at will. Most fairies have this skill, but it's impossible to gauge who strong it will be until it emerges, and you have a chance to train it." She paused to let me take in what she was saying.

"Teleporting is a common skill, as well, but it doesn't always appear in less than full-blooded fae. Your spark, though, is one of the strongest we've detected, even for a full fairy. It's impossible to predict, but it is possible you could have this ability, as well. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how useful this power can be. There's also transformation, telekinesis, and of course, much of our powers are rooted in our ability to perform powerful magic. The ability of affect the elements is a Brigant trait, as we are descended from the Sky Fae. There is much more, but I don't want to overwhelm you too much!"

Holy crap! I can't imagine being able to click my heels and pop away. Sure would save on gas, though!

"Your telepathy is not a fae trait, no. I have never heard of a truly telepathic fairy. Empaths, though. It's a somewhat common trait in our bloodline, but only in females."

Oh, my God! I couldn't imagine it. Hearing everyone's unsolicited thoughts was bad enough. I couldn't imagine having the ability to feel others emotions, too. Feeling Eric's emotions through our bond was strange enough. Oh, damn! Damn, damn, damn!

I could feel Eric, even though I didn't think I shouldn't be able to. Did that mean I could be empathic?

"Claudine, what do you know about vampire blood bonds?" I asked quietly, not able to look her in the face.

"Just the basics, really, Sookie. I knew nothing of them until fairly recently, when Niall asked me to do some research for him. They are rare, especially full blood bonds, which is three mutual exchanges of blood. One exchange is a bit more common, as it gives the vampire a sense of your emotions and location. For years, vampires would use this low level control type bond to control their human out of necessity. A second exchange will give the vampire more control, the ability to send emotional messages through the bond. A third is considered permanent, and allows the human to feel and sense the vampire, as well."

"Only on the third exchange? It never happens earlier, for the human to feel the bond?" I asked.

"Like I said, I don't really know. There's not much information out there. But as far as I know, that's the case. Why?"

I turned in the driveway and drove up to the house. I turned off the car before I answered her.

"Because I've only had Eric's blood once. And I can feel him."

* * *

><p>Eric's POV<p>

"What's happening with Sookie, Eric?" Pam, blunt as always, blurted her question out as soon as her ass hit the chair.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you made your decision yet? Are you going to bond with her?"

"Yes." As much as I tried to kid myself, there was no choice here. What I felt for this human, this frail, mortal woman, frightened me to my very core. It was an unaccustomed feeling, and one I fought against daily. But I knew I would do anything to protect her. If I could keep her alive, if I could keep her from harm, perhaps this would end. As apprehensive as I might be about tying my existence to another being - a human, at that - I will do it to protect her.

"Yes, you've made a decision, or yes, you are going to go through with this?"

"Yes to both."

"The meeting with Brigant went well, then? She has agreed?" Pam asked.

My thought flew back to the night before. I had thought the meeting was progressing decently well, but my perceptions might have been off. Sookie's attitude towards me after Brigant departed had contradicted any thought of her taking it well. I had followed her until she reached her destination last night, curious about her date with tequila. I don't think anyone had ever used that phrase around me before. I cursed my obligations at Fangtasia, but I'd had no choice but to return. My preference would have been to stay and watch her all night, perhaps learn something about this bewildering female. Instead, I returned to Fangtasia and attended to Area matters with a tightly disciplined manner.

I hadn't planned on returning to Bon Temps. I'd thought she'd be asleep by the time I was free. But the tsunami of emotion I was receiving from her all evening dictated a change of plans. Most of her emotional turmoil was a mystery, as always. Knowing her feelings was one thing. Interpreting them was another. It's been a very long time since I have let emotions rule my existence and feeling hers rampaging through me didn't make me an expert. I was feeling a pull to go to her, and I couldn't be sure if it was just me, or whether our blood tie was influencing me.

Either way, I took to the sky for a second time that evening, heading for Bon Temps. I did not expect what I found.

My future lover was quite delightfully drunk, her date with tequila clearly going well. Looking the very picture of innocence, her face was scrubbed free of makeup, her hair still bouncing in it's ponytail. She was dressed in a pair of striped pink pajamas, and her matching pink tanktop caused a lump to rise in my throat, as well as in my pants. Adorable. Sexy, beautiful, enticing, yes. But adorable described her appearance best.

The words flowing from my adorable angels mouth, though. They worried me, they shamed me, they excited me. I listened closely, watching through the window as she talked with her friend.

"The only thing you needs to be concernin' yourself about, Sook, is this vampire of yours. Do you want him?"

"I think so."

"You's got to better than that if you gonna tie yourself to him forever."

"I know! But, Lala, I just don't know! I'm so damned confused. I mean, I don't even know him. I think I do, but I don't. I know the Eric I dream of. This Eric is a mystery." I smiled at the mention of her dreams. I'd wondered if she'd been dreaming of me. Now I wondered what she dreamed.

"Does he want you?"

"He wants me, sure. I think so, anyway. But what about after he's had me? How long can I possibly hold his attention, Lala? He's old as the hills, he's probably had thousands of women. THOUSANDS, Lala. And he's so gorgeous, I'm sure he's had his pick of every beautiful woman he wants. How can I compete with that? I'm still a virgin, for cripes sake!"

"First of all, baby girl, you's beautiful as anyone of them women. Even more hot cause you don't even know it. Second, everyone's a virgin in the beginning. Most of us go tumbling around with all the wrong people and learn nothing. If I'd a had a shot with a sex god vampire for my first time, oh, baby! I'd a taken it in a heartbeat."

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to hear what those damned fang bangers were thinkin' of him, Lala! It's like he's had sex with all of them. All of them, Lala. Sometimes more than one at a time! How can I ever live up to that? He's obviously never goin' to be satisfied with just one woman. How could he?"

It hadn't occurred to me what she must have heard at my club. She was right - I had been with many. And two wasn't out of the question, sometimes it had been three or more at a time. I cursed myself as I thought about it, an odd sense of shame fluttering through me. Perhaps I should have Pam glamour some of the wilder ones. I didn't want Sookie to hear these things every time she visits the bar.

"Oh, baby girl. Oh, Sooks, don't you's be worrying bout that. Vampire or not, your man is still a man, honey. And a man will take what a man can get. Don't mean we's all don't want no better. You, sugar, you's as good as it gets. He'd be the lucky one to get you, not the other way around, no matter how hot his ass is."

"Easy for you to say. You haven't seen his ass."

"Tell me all about it, hookah. I's all ears."

She laughed at him, and I could feel her amusement pulsing through the bond. My mouth dropped when I heard the words.

"Lala, if it were only the ass, but it's just so much more! I mean, it is spectacular. If there were an international butt competition, Eric would win, hands down or cheeks up, so to speak!"

She started laughing all over again, bending over holding her middle. I was concerned for a moment. Her heart rate was excessive and she was struggling to breathe. But eventually she regained her control and continued. Her words made me incredibly hard, as did the pulses of lust I felt through the bond. Those were emotions I had no problem identifying. Her lust was intensifying mine.

"He's sooo tall - he's got to be six four or six five. And he's big. I don't mean regular big, I mean gigantic, fearsome warrior huge. His shoulders are so wide, I'm sure I could sit on one side alone! His arms are as big as my thighs, and his chest? He's like one of those Greek statues - it is like someone carved him out of marble! His legs are so strong, he's just nothing but muscles everywhere. Honest to goodness, Lala, they're like damned tree trunks. And, of course, he has huge feet."

She started laughing again, presumably at the look on her friend's face. I would be amused also, if I weren't so fucking distracted.

"And you know what they say about big feet, don't you Lafayette?" I knew what they said about big feet. And hands. I had both. I grinned at her playfulness.

"Sookie Stackhouse, what have you been doing? And just how big are his feet, and by feet, you's knows what I mean."

"Let's say it's a gracious plenty, Lala. A very gracious plenty." A gracious plenty. Well, then. I smirked to myself and gave the gracious plenty a squeeze.

"Nope, uh-uh, bitch! You's can't stop there. Just how gracious and plenty are we's talking about?" The look on his face was priceless.

My adorable, innocent angel blushed prettily, but held up her hands to approximate the length of my gracious plenty. She was close, but probably underestimating a little. She hadn't truly been up close and personal with it yet. It made my impossibly hard cock even harder, pulsing and jerking in my pants, seeking release from the torment her words and unexpectedly erotic actions had wrought.

"Shit, hookah. You's serious bout that? That's a hella lot more than gracious, baby girl. You's going to tell me how your virgin ass knows about Mr. Sex God's junk?"

Her friend, who I could only assume was gay, was reacting in a quite amusing manner. He seemed to be having difficulty controlling his jaw. It fell repeatedly.

"Nope. It's none of your beeswax, Mr. Nosy. Some things are just between me and Eric."

"Oh, you's going to tell me, hookah. One day, you's going to be telling me all. I can wait. But just one more question, Ms. Thang. Does the width match the length?"

He winked at my adorable blushing angel.

"Cause if it do, baby girl, you's got to get you's some of that!"

I stayed for a little longer, until I was sure she was asleep for the night. I watched as her friend picked her up from the floor and placed her on the couch, placing a pillow under her head and wrapping a blanket around her sleeping form. It gave me an uncomfortably wistful sensation as pinpricks of jealousy touched me. I wanted to be the one caring for her. An unexpected desire, to be sure. I had never truly cared for anyone in that manner.

The flight back to Shreveport left plenty of time for reflection, but provided little in the way of answers. I knew she was affecting me differently from any of the others, but I'm not sure why. There were marked differences this time around, and I had to wonder whether the fates had finally aligned. Perhaps this time it would be different. None of the others had shown any sign of being anything but human. Sookie was clearly more. Her telepathy set her apart, as did her royal bloodline. She considered herself a broke telepathic barmaid from a hick town, but the truth was, her official title and position in the supe world outranked me, outranked any monarch in our hierarchy. She was of a truly royal bloodline, while our monarchies were attained either by political appointment, or by the cold steel of a sword.

Before the vampires came out, this situation wouldn't perhaps have been as dangerous as it might now become. Vampires have long lived by tradition, and these traditions have stood us well over the course of time. Since the Great Reveal, it had started to shift, imperceptibly at first, but my contacts across the country were confirming my suspicions. Being able to live in public for the first time in our history has made some of our kind, some of our royalty, greedier than before. Power is the most lucrative commodity to humans, and vampires were no different. In the quest for money and power, a hungry vampire monarch trying to negotiate through complex human business negotiations could seriously benefit from having a telepath at their disposal. In the past, claiming her as my own would have been the final word on the subject. I fear our kind are evolving too rapidly now for this to be as effective as in the past. Many would hesitate to take me on, my age, strength and reputation making me a formidable adversary. But there are always others who felt above the laws, those who are too stupid to weigh the risks properly.

As I went to my daytime rest, I wondered again if bonding would be the magical difference. If I could keep her alive, it would be more than I've ever accomplished in the past. Would it be enough to break the cycle of reincarnation and failure? There was no way to be sure, of course, which worried me more than I would ever admit, but there was enough hope there for me to seriously considering forming a full blood bond for the first time in my very long life. If Niall was correct in his assumptions, blood bonding might provide enough of a catalyst for Sookie's Fae side to emerge. There was no guarantees she would develop any powers, but it would be worth the risk to try. If she were able to better protect herself when I wasn't able to watch over her, the chances of her staying alive and unharmed were greatly improved.

I wanted to believe this would be enough to change the fates, if indeed it was fate messing with me. I wanted to believe keeping her alive would be enough to atone for the sins of my past. I needed to believe it. There were enough differences this time around to make me hopeful. Perhaps my approach in the past towards this girl, the versions that came before Sookie, had been flawed. I had never shared blood before, never created the bond that might have alerted me to danger. I had lead a couple straight into the path of danger, and had inadvertently been the cause of death for a couple more. It was clearly time to try a different approach. A wise man had once told me he defined insanity by ones ability to continuously perform the same task the exact same way and yet expect different results. I'm not sure that was truly insanity, but it certainly wasn't recommended.

Even as I sat here with Pam, calmly discussing creating a permanent magic bond between us, I wondered if I had always been too dense to see one important fact. Almost without exception, every single time this creature has appeared in my life, it has been her involvement, willing or unwilling, in my life that has led to her demise. I felt certain the blood bond was necessary, something inside me urged me towards it. But I had to wonder if I should perhaps take a step back, and let the girl lead the life she was meant to before vampires politics disturbed her life. The bond will be enough to offer protection, and awareness of any danger she faced, but I had to consider the fact that a personal relationship might not be the best idea. If I were truly going to break the cycle, perhaps I needed to completely change my patterns with her. No matter how attracted we were to each other, my chances of keeping her alive would undoubtedly be better if I could keep her away from the intrigue and infighting that inevitably surrounded vampire politics. It had been the cause of her death too many times before to not consider it now.

"I'm not sure I would classify the meeting as going well, necessarily." I tilted my head back and stared at the ceiling. "She hasn't given me an answer yet. She said she would talk to me tonight."

"She's thinking it over?" Pam was a little incredulous at this idea. To her, an offer of my blood was an honor, a privilege. A human hesitating over accepting said honor was puzzling to her. Apparently, Dear Abby had never covered this issue in her columns.

"She's had a lot thrown at her. I'm not surprised she's taking some time." I shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"I suppose." Pam looked and sounded uncertain. "Would it help if I spoke with her?"

It was my turn to look surprised. "Why do you think that would help?"

"Damn, Eric. I forget sometimes just how out of touch with humans you really are!" Pam shook her head at me. "She's a girl being approached by a boy who's asking her to agree to forever with him. Forget everything else, all the danger and vampires and fairies and magic. It all boils down to the same thing. She's a girl and I'm sure she would be reassured by another girl telling her the boy - you, in case you're not keeping up here - is worth knowing, and is worth taking a chance on."

I stared at my child, letting her words sink in. She was right, of course, as she often was.

"If she comes in tonight, Pam, I will be speaking with her first. We'll see how that goes first. If she doesn't come in tonight, I will go to her tomorrow. I can't put off notifying Sophie-Ann of Bill's confinement any longer than that. We have a few days at most to present my claim on Sookie."

"She's unusual, isn't she?" Pam's expression was pensive. "For a breather, she's not bad." High compliments from Pam. She might be more in touch with human lifestyles, but she wasn't known to love them. Admitting she liked her, as she's just done in a round about way, was a major step for her. She was, after all, my child. I had raised her to control her emotions, to not become attached to the humans around us, just as Godric had taught me. "I think I might enjoy getting to know this one, Eric. She seems...spunky."

"There is something about her. But I've been thinking about this, and I think it would be best for all of us if we limit her exposure to vampires as much as possible. I think it would be best if we tried to restore her life as close as possible to what it was before she got dragged into this mess. She still can lead a normal life, I can always have her watched from a distance." She wasn't aware of it, but I had her under constant surveillance now. I wouldn't hesitate to keep it up for the rest of her life. "There has to be a way to make Sophie see reason. I wish I didn't have to consider revealing her Fae connection, but it may be the only way."

'What do you mean, Eric? From a distance? Do you not want to claim her as your own?" She was shocked. My attraction to Sookie was no secret between us. "How do you propose to do that, sharing a blood bond? Have you thought about this?"

Actually, I had given it a great deal of thought. It would be difficult to maintain my distance from her. I knew that. I couldn't remember if there was ever a woman I was attracted to as much as Sookie. My dreams of her were even changing, morphing from the violent, bloody dreams which usually plague me, into highly erotic, sexually explicit dreams. In my dreams, we were always clearly together as committed lovers. We were happy, comfortable, and wild for each other. I suspected the bond was responsible in some ways for the dreams, much like I thought my blood was responsible for her dreams. If the bond were completed, I know my attraction for her would never die. Instead, I would be forced into a lifetime of feeling her presence inside me, but be unable to hold her, to slake my desires for her.

If it kept her safe, I was willing to do it. No matter how miserable it made me.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please take a moment and let me know what you think. Feedback is the best thing in the world. It makes me write better and more often!<em>**


	22. Yes

**_This chapter has pushed Just in Time over the 100,000 word mark! I can't believe I gotten this much written this quickly! There a ton more story to come, and I will have a couple of more updates this week. Thanks so much for sticking with this story._**

**_I have another story in the works that I will be posting tomorrow, as well. It's called Spellbound, and it's nothing but an excuse to squeeze lemons! First chapter will be up tomorrow, and there will be about six chapters in total. Check it out - hope you like it!_**

**_As always, I own nada._**

* * *

><p>Sookie's POV<p>

"Sookie Stackhouse." I recognized the exaggerated Southern accent immediately. Pam. Besides, she was the only person who ever called me by both my first and last name.

"Pam." I turned to face her and was pleasantly surprised to see the admiring look in her eyes. "How are you this evening?"

She laughed before replying. "Thank you for asking Sookie. I am fine as always." I cringed a little as her answer hit me. Vampires, of course, didn't have much variance in their health.

"I'd like you to meet my friend, Lafayette Reynolds." I stepped back and allowed Lala to see Pam clearly. "Lala, this is Pam. She is Eric's second, I guess you'd call it?" I raised a questioning brow at Pam and she nodded her acceptance to my description. I wanted to grin as I watched her take in Lala in all his finery. After pouting about not getting to do my hair and make-up, he'd taken advantage of the extra time to really go all to hell with his own appearance.

I thought he looked fabulous, but I could see Pam was positively itching to say something.

"What brings you to Fangtasia this evening?" Pam smirked as she looked at me. I was impressed with her self-restraint - she'd just looked Lafayette over once, from head to toe - and I had the feeling she knew exactly why I was here.

"I needed to speak with Eric, actually. Is he here?" I smiled at her and used my most gracious tones.

"Yes, but he's tied up at the moment. I'll let him know you are here. I'm sure he will join you as soon as he's free." She stopped and perused my appearance this time, giving me a slow, thorough once-over. The corners of her mouth twitched just a little, but otherwise her face remained it's normal placid self. She looked me straight in the eye before she spoke again. "I hope you know what you're really looking for here. That dress suggests you do, but we shall see." She turned and opened the door to the bar, repeating to herself, "We shall see."

I smiled a little nervously at her, not sure how to interpret her words. I swear, talking to Pam was like a mental exercise all of it's own. She was cryptic to the point of distraction, always tossing in just enough to needle and poke, without ever stating whatever the hell it was she wanted to say! I didn't really want to read vampire minds at all, but I swear, I'd give anything to be able to hear whatever was going in in Pam's. She made me far more nervous than Eric, even though she's always tried to be nice, or whatever nice passes for in vampires.

"Thanks, Pam. Lafayette and I are going to have a drink and dance a while, anyway. Whenever Eric is free is fine." I waved at her before walking through the inside doors. I didn't touch the comment about my dress. I held my head high, and tried to exude as much confidence as I could. I think I did well.

Truth is, I'm as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. But I did look good. Damned good.

Claudine was true to her word, working what had to be incredible magic to have me turning out the way I did. Even Lala had to agree her skills outranked his, but I seriously suspected magic was involved on her part. My hair was curled in a way I could never have achieved, with long, loose curls flowing down my back. Oddly, even curled my hair seemed perhaps longer than it should have, but I wasn't about to complain. It looked stunning, as did the flawless make-up job she performed. I looked like I was wearing almost nothing on my skin, but every feature seemed perfectly emphasized. The smudgy, smokey dark blue shadow around my eyes made them stand out beautifully. I looked like a HD version of myself.

After spending long minutes rejecting every dress in my closet, she'd disappeared with a POP, only to return a few moments later in the same manner. She had a pale blue dress with her, with matching shoes and bag. She said they were hers, but she and I definitely didn't wear the same size. The moment I tried it on, any objections I would have made disappeared. It was stunning, and Lala's face when he saw me cemented my opinion.

The dress had a fitted bodice that did wonders for my figure, nipping in the waist and accentuating my bustline before continuing into a slim pencil skirt that ended just an inch above my knee. A band around the waistline caught the eye with the shimmery sapphire blue and silver threads. It was not a dress I would have ever thought would suit my curvy form, but this seemed tailored specifically to me. The sapphire blue heels upped my height, making my legs look a mile long. My tan looked luminous against the icy blue fabric, my hair even blonder. I don't think I ever looked better. I thought it was a bit much for Fangtasia, but I didn't care. I was going to see Eric, and this dress was coming with me.

Walking through the crowd now, I knew I was right - I stuck out like a sore thumb in the darkness of Fangtasia. The club's patrons were outfitted in the typical ensembles I've seen every time, lots of tight black clothing in everything from shiny latex to see through lace. I tried to imagine walking into the bar wearing leather and lace, but the image was just too funny. I was happier in my somewhat inappropriate dress.

We grabbed a drink and danced our way out to the floor a few minutes later. We were getting some strange looks from around the club, but it didn't bother me in the least. We were the most colorful things in the room. I would have stared at us, too. We danced our hearts out, shimmying and shaking all around the floor. I guess I would call dancing a kind of therapy for me. I can lose myself in the beat, my body taking over and my mind tuning out. It was particularly good therapy this evening, keeping my mind off my impending meeting with my vampire. Eric.

An hour flew by pretty fast, the three drinks Lala had pressed into my hand had kept the evening flowing quickly. I was doing a great job keeping Eric from my mind, dancing my ass off instead. Lala and I had attracted our fair share of attention as we danced, but I didn't even let that bother me. I tried to keep my shields up as tight as I could get them, and for the most part they worked real well. My mind stayed a quiet blank for most of the evening.

We were out for our forth or fifth turn at the dance floor when Lala gave a great whoop into the air. Fangtasia's sound system was pumping with Imelda May's "_Big Bad Handsome Man_" and we bumped and ground against other, laughing all the while. I noticed Pam standing near the sound booth and waved as we danced. She didn't wave back, but instead stood there flashing me a very fangy grin.

I had my eyes closed as I swayed my his up and down, swiveling with the driving beat. My eyes flew open as Lala's voice hissed in my ear.

"Oh, baby girl! I's a thinking that's your big bad handsome man right there!" His voice was filled with awe and wonder. "Shit, Sook. He's bigger, badder and more handsome than you's let on!"

Sure enough, it was Eric, and he was staring a hole right on through me. Our eyes met and locked through the crowded dance floor. I don't know why I did it, but I found myself dancing closer and closer to him, the swivel in my hips a little more pronounced than before.

_Cause he's my big, bad, handsome man _

_He's got me in the palm of his hand _

_He's the Devil Divine, I'm so glad that he's mine _

_'Cause he's my big, bad, handsome man_

The sizzling eye contact between us didn't falter once, even as he stood from his elaborate throne and jumped down to the dance floor. We were only ten feet apart, and Eric closed the gap quickly, with maybe a little help from me. I swear, I don't know if I moved closer to him, but soon there was no space between our bodies at all, as Eric took charge and started to lead me through the rest of the dance. He moved really well for such a big man, his hips moving in time with my own.

All I could do was stare at him, our eyes still locked on one another. I could feel the lust pumping between us so strongly, it made my knees weak. The crowd around us had thinned, everyone standing back and leaving room for "the master" to dance. Somewhere in the back of my head I wondered if he danced often, but something told me he didn't.

With his rugged good looks yeah he s got me hooked Got me where he wants me to be With his arms so wide, he pulls me in by his side He s the kind of guy that does it for me

The whole thing couldn't have lasted more than a minute or two, but it felt like hours to me. The heat and fire that spilled from Eric's eyes sent answering waves of desire through my frame, leaving me even more weak-kneed than before. As the song ended, Eric's grip around my waist tightened measurably as he led me from the edge of the dance floor. I glanced back, but Lala was no where to be seen. I let Eric continue to lead me until I was once again facing the "Reserved. Violators will be drained." sign on what was obviously his private booth. One wave of his hand, and a nervous waitress was standing in front of me.

"Whatever the lady wants, and be quick." I asked for water, and as quickly as she arrived, she was gone again. I just stared up at my vampire. Eric. My heart was beating hard against my rib cage. I'm not sure if it was from the dancing, or the look in Eric's clear blue eyes.

He stood motionlessly by my side for a moment until his hand slowly reached forward until just the very tips of his fingers brushed against the edge of my jaw. I shivered.

"Stay here. I will be back." He turned and disappeared through the crowd. I could see his blonde hair towering head and shoulders above the rest of the clientele just before he disappeared. I thought he had returned to his office, but didn't have a chance to think about it as Pam slid into the booth opposite me.

"Great song, don't you think? Honestly, it's just one of my favorites." She smirked at me. The waitress returned with my water and slid it across the table to me.

"Uh-huh." I stared at her suspiciously. She was taking far too much pleasure in this for my liking. I shrugged after a moment. I was having too good a time to have her ruin it for me. "Yes, it's one of my favorites, too."

"And Eric, too," she said, her smirk still firmly in place. She appraised me openly before continuing. "I just didn't know he liked it that much, though. I haven't seen him dance in forever." She tapped a perfectly manicured finger against her lips in a thoughtful manner. The blood red polish matched her lipstick. "I think, Sookie Stackhouse, that might have been his first time on this dance floor. He must have _really_ liked that song."

I chose to take the high road, and ignore her digs. I didn't know what the hell she was trying to say, anyway.

"Have you seen Lafayette, Pam? We managed to get separated." I scanned the crowd again, but still didn't see him. As flamboyant as he was, I should have been able to see him anywhere in this sea of black, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Yes, he's at the bar, but I think he's fine where he is. There's a handsome man sitting next to him."

Lala always managed to find hot men in the most unexpected places.

We sat in silence for a few moments, but it didn't really feel awkward at all. Pam continued to stare at me, but I kept my eyes on the crowd. Many faces were looking back at me, curiosity etched all over them. I was weirdly tempted to lower my shields for a moment, but I resisted the urge. My mood was too good to ruin it now.

"Will Eric be much longer, do you think?" I was nervous as bejeesus, but I did want to get our talk over with.

"No." One word answer from Pam.

I nodded dumbly, like I understood. I didn't, but what the heck. My nerves were starting to play with me, the high I had gotten from dancing fading fast.

"Do you care for my master, Sookie Stackhouse?" Pam's question shocked me. It was incredibly blunt and straightforward. I hadn't expected it for some reason, even though Pam had already demonstrated a strong interest in whatever was happening with Eric and I.

"I really don't know him well enough to say." I hedged nervously, praying she wouldn't question me further. I didn't want to spill too much to Pam. Her loyalties clearly lay with Eric.

"Perhaps we can change that tonight. Come. Eric is ready for you now." She stood and motioned for me to follow her. How did she know Eric was ready? I shook my head to myself as I followed her into the bowels of the bar, heading for Eric's office. There was so much I didn't understand about vampires.

Pam ushered me in through the door to Eric's office, her hand on the small of my back. She gave me a little push forward before speaking to Eric. They had switched to Swedish, and I smiled to myself. One of these days I was going to have to tell him I spoke his languages. I didn't know how I could explain myself, but I was starting to feel bad about listening to what was clearly meant to be private communication.

"Don't fuck this up, Eric." Pam stared at him, one hand anchored firmly to her hip. Her face was as no-nonsense as her voice.

"This is none of your business, Pam." Eric raised his eyes and stared at his second. "Remember your place."

"Not my business? You miserable and bitchy for the next thousand years is not something I look forward to, master." There was so much sarcasm in her tone, but I even though I understood her words, I wasn't getting her meaning. "Remember what I said, Eric. You've waited hundreds of years for this one. You might never have another chance." What the heck was that supposed to mean? She was cryptic even when she was being blunt with him. Were they even talking about me?

"Pam." His tone was firm, as was the set of his jaw. He looked angry. "Leave us. Now."

"Very well." She gave a small bow in his direction before turning to me, switching back to English. "It's been fun seeing you again, Sookie. Let's make sure to do it again." And she was gone in a dizzying blur, the office door closing behind her.

I was alone with Eric.

He didn't speak, just watched me as my small steps led me to the chair in front of his desk. I sat somewhat nervously. He still didn't speak and my nerves just couldn't take it. I started to babble.

"How are you, Eric? It's nice to see you again." God, he looked so damned good just sitting there. "Thank you for the dance. I enjoyed myself."

That finally cracked a smile on his face and he spoke. At last.

"It was my pleasure, Sookie." His face lit up as he smiled and my breath caught in my throat. It just wasn't fair. He was literally too gorgeous for me to take in. "And I am well. Thank you for your concern."

He continued to stare at me, his eyes flickering rapidly between my face and the low neckline of my dress. I sat straighter in my chair. It was all I could do to not push my breasts out further for his inspection. I could still remember the feel of his lips on my nipples, how his fangs felt as they traced gently across the delicate skin. I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

"I should apologize for running out on you like that last night," I began to speak but he cut me of quickly.

"It's fine Sookie. Really. How did your date go?" His smile turned into more of a smirk as he looked at me. I was momentarily distracted and confused.

"Date? I didn't have a date?"

"I'm sorry. Didn't you say you had a date with tequila last night?" He laughed at my expression.

"Oh. That." I blushed as I remembered how much of my tequila date was taken up with discussion of this very vampire. "Other than a killer headache this morning, it was fun. You know how it is with tequila."

"I wouldn't know what tequila was, Sookie, but I'm sure you had plenty of fun." He laughed again. He looked younger, and more human, when he laughed. I wondered how old he really was. Is it rude to ask, I wondered? Again it occurred to me how little I really knew about vampires. Claudine had told me plenty this evening, but I understood now that she had just scratched the surface.

"How old are you, Eric?" The thought was swimming through my head, but I was mortified when I heard it come from my mouth.

"A thousand years, give or take. I don't exactly know." He answered me calmly, and immediately. I released the breath I was holding when he answered so easily. I guess it wasn't a faux pas, then. His words sank into my brain when my breath rushed out. A THOUSAND years? Holy moley. Holy CRAP!

"Wow." I muttered at him, my mouth agape. "I don't suppose you had tequila back then. That's a long time ago."

He laughed and stood up, coming around the side of his desk to lean against the front. His long legs stretched out in front of him, and crossed his feet at the ankles. I stared at his heavy black boots as my comments from the night before danced in my head. He did have really big feet.

"No, we had no tequila. We did have mead and ale, though. And even after a thousand years, I can still recall the pain of over-indulging." He laughed at me, his smile friendly. "You look far too good tonight for me to believe you suffered too heavily."

"Well, thank you." I preened a little at his compliment. "I'm feeling much better, thanks."

"Are you ready to talk about what you learned last night?" He was back to looking like the bad-ass Sheriff again.

"That's why I am here." I steeled myself. This wouldn't be an easy conversation.

"Do you have any questions before we start?" Boy, did I ever! But I wanted to see where he was going with this, first. I shook my head.

He held out his hand to me and I stared at it blankly. "Come. We'll be more comfortable over here. You'll get a sore neck looking up at me like that." I took his offered hand, shivering as a tingle raced through me with the contact. He led us to the couch, motioning for me to sit before he joined me. I kind of regretted the move immediately. He was so much closer to me now. It felt - intimate.

"First, Sookie, I would like to offer my own apologies. It was wrong of me to spring Niall on you like that. In my defense, he would have dropped in on you like that whether I was with him or not." He paused and reached to take my hand in his. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes, of course." I smiled and pulled my hand back from his, reaching up to brush a curl over my shoulder to hide the purpose behind my actions. Truth was, if we were going to talk, he was too damned close as it was. I couldn't talk and touch, it seemed. "It was a surprise, but I am over it now."

"Good. Very well." He placed his hand back on his thigh. I couldn't tell if he was offended I removed my own hand. "Have you made a decision?"

"Yes." I had thought of little else all day. Claudine's information had made my decision for me. I just hoped I was making the right one.

"And?" He prompted when I didn't continue.

"Eric, tell me why you think your Queen is interested in me."

He looked surprised at my quick change of topic, but answered smoothly.

"You have to understand, Sookie, that anything I may say is simply conjecture at this point. Sophie-Ann has not seen fit to keep me informed." He looked angry, but continued. "If I had to guess, I would say it is purely due to your telepathy. As I told you before, you would be considered a very valuable asset to her."

"If she wants me to work for her, why doesn't she simply ask me? Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?" I asked.

"Vampires don't always think the same way you do, Sookie. And there are many, especially those in positions of power, who have failed to move with the times. Sophie is making an effort to be modern, I think, by sending Bill Compton to seduce you into going along with her plans, instead of simply taking you. You can't be glamoured, though, which would have made his efforts moot."

"Well, we all know that didn't work. What do you think she will do now? Bill said she will send another. Will she?"

"I doubt she will forget about you and move on, if that's what you are thinking. I can't say for sure what she will do, but it's very safe to assume she won't give up."

"And if we go ahead with Niall's plan?" I couldn't bring myself to say the right words. If we exchange blood again...

"Then she will be forced to acknowledge my claim. It will not stop her interest, but it will keep you from being taken against your will."

"Your claim? What do you mean?" I was puzzled by the terminology.

"I would have to claim you as mine. It is our way." Mine? His? What the hell?

"Yours? How can I be yours, Eric? I'm a person, not a dog, for goodness sake's!" I'm sure my face must have looked as indignant as I felt.

He sighed, a purely unnecessary reflex. "Of course you are not an animal, Sookie, but I would still have to claim you as mine." He paused and closed his eyes for a moment, dropping his head back to rest against the back of the couch. He looked thoughtful. "It is a matter of law and tradition for vampires. We are a possessive sort by nature, and the terminology stuck, I guess. This means you are completely off limits to other vampires in all areas. You can't be touched, you can't be fed off, you can't be taken. If I didn't claim you, there would be many other vampires who would try."

"I don't like it, Eric. I'm my own person, and I will never belong to anyone else." I flushed a little as I recalled how often my dream lover - Eric - had called me his, as I had called him mine. But this was different. "But I understand it, I guess. If saying I'm yours would do all that, why is Niall so insistent we create a blood bond?"

"If it were not the Queen involved, I could simply declare you as mine and that would be it. But any claim of mine could be overruled by her. The only way to prevent her from taking you would be to share a blood bond. The blood is sacred, and a bonded pair are considered as one. Once again, these are our laws and traditions."

"Can you explain something to me, Eric?" Claudine had explained many things to me earlier, and although I trusted her, I wanted to hear Eric's explanation, too.

"If I can." He looked at me sideways, his head still resting on the couch back.

"What is the supernatural council?"

He sat straight up, his body tensing as he looked at me.

"Where did you hear of this?" He stared at me as he spoke, but he looked curious, not mad.

"It doesn't really matter. I just need you to explain the role of the council." I shook my head at him.

"There are more supernatural groups in the world than just vampires and fairies, Sookie. Do you understand this?" I nodded. Claudine had given me a brief, but mind-boggling, list earlier. I couldn't believe it, but it seemed Eric was confirming it. "Many of these supernatural factions have been in existence for far longer than humans, or vampires, obviously. Vampires have held a seat on the council for over 3500 years, but we were one of the last groups to be granted one. The remainder of the seats are held by races of beings that can trace their lineage back tens of thousands of years. Many do not even live in this realm." I nodded again. Niall had explained Faerie the other evening, and Claudine had spoken briefly of other realms, like the demon realm.

"The Council is the highest authority in the supernatural world. Each race has it's own law and order, carries out it's own justice. Any supernatural being is entitled to appeal to the council in serious cases. The Council will mostly hear matters of interspecies misconduct. Your grandfather, for example, could have filed a grievance against me for feeding you my blood."

"What?" I was startled out of my concentration by his statement. "For what?"

He laughed. "Sookie, I know this is all new to you, but surely you understand the ramifications of being the Prince's great-granddaughter? You are a princess in your own right. For me to feed a fairy princess my blood without her consent could be considered a blood offense. Niall could have asked for my head."

"That's ridiculous! You were saving my life!" I was furious suddenly at the very idea of my vampire being held accountable to anyone for saving my life.

"Yes, I did. But by decree of the Council, it is illegal for any supernatural to assualt another's royalty. The rules were laid in place centuries ago to help stop the constant warring between the races."

"If I am a princess by right and birth, though, and Niall could have made a complaint about you, why doesn't this protect me from the Queen?" It seemed logical to me. I asked Claudine the same question, and she had looked at me with a similar expression to the one Eric was now wearing. A little puzzled, a little unsure. Her response was she was sure Niall had his reasons for believing more protection was necessary.

"In a perfect world, Sookie, it should. But this is not a perfect world." He raised a hand to his face, his long fingers pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. "Vampires and Fae don't usually mix. At all. Fae blood is irresistible to vampires as it is indescribably delicious, intoxicating and a powerful aphrodisiac. There are some, like Niall, that can mask their scent, but most cannot. As such, there is little mixing of the races. There are many vampires who would be attracted to you simply because of what you represent. If you throw your telepathy into the mix, you are a very tempting treasure." He reached forward and trailed his fingers across my jawline again. "If it can be avoided, it would be best for the vampire community to not know your true heritage."

"Oh." That kind of made sense, when you put it like that. "But if they did know? What then?"

"I would have little doubt Sophie-Ann would back down in her quest. But if word spread, there may be others who would risk the wrath of the Council to take you. I'm sorry, Sookie, but that is the reality here." He stroked my jaw one more time before dropping his hand. I could still feel his touch. "I'm sorry, Sookie. I really am. But I won't sugar-coat this for you. If word of either attribute gets out, you will need protection forever."

"And this is why the Prince asked you to bond yourself to me?" I was happy, though, to remember he had pledged his willingness to bond before he learned of my telepathy. I wondered why he was even bothering with me. "When did you find out I was part-fairy, Eric?"

"Niall came to me the night you were taken by Compton." His jaw clenched, making the smooth skin over his cheeks ripple. The night we spent in my bed. Naked. I wondered if he was thinking of that part of the evening, too. "He does want to protect you, Sookie. I'm sure he does. Family is important to him."

"I wish I had met them earlier." I hadn't meant to sound so wistful when I spoke. Family was important to me, too, and I'd had so little of it. "Doesn't it seem strange that he would ask a vampire to protect me, though, if vampires and fairies don't mix? Why does he trust you so much?"

"Niall and I have had what you might call a mutually beneficial relationship for centuries. We have never broken trust with each other. He has reasons he hasn't shared with either of us, but trust me when I tell you he would have examined every other option before he agreed to this."

"I know I didn't say a whole lot last night, but I was listening. Why is he so concerned with my spark? I mean, I understand what it might mean, but why is it so important to him?

"I can't say I understand all of what he's thinking, but he does believe your spark has ignited so strongly because your blood magic is reacting with mine." He looked at me intently, and I swear to God, I turned to liquid inside. "He believes your spark would mature faster, and be stronger, if we were to bond. If the magic were fully blended. It would make you powerful enough to defend yourself. Or that is what he hopes will happen."

"And if I don't want to ignite this spark? What about if I want to dump a bucket of water over it and put it out completely?" My body was still fighting surges of heat. There was something really hot about talking to this incredibly gorgeous man about sharing blood. It reminded me of my dream Eric, I suppose.

"That's not going to happen, Sookie. With or without any blood magic from me, your spark would have ignited sooner or later. It's not something you get or don't get. You are born with it. Whether or not we bond, your spark will continue to develop. You will obtain the same gifts, or powers. They might be stronger, and emerge faster with my blood, but either way, you will get them."

I sighed, blowing the air out noisily, my cheeks puffed out. I knew I was being a bit childish, but I just didn't want to be a fairy! I didn't even want my telepathy, which according to Claudine isn't even a fairy thing! I still don't know where that comes from, and now they want me to take on more. All because of the darned Queen.

"So about this bonding thing - " his eyes shot towards me so fast, I was mesmerized for a second. I was tempted to try to take down the walls I had built up against the bond, but I didn't dare. It was hard enough to get through this feeling my own raw emotions. "If we exchange blood one more time, every vampire would know you are claiming me, right? Niall said they would be able to smell you clearly?" He nodded. "Would tell me what it would mean for us, what the bond will do to us?"

"One more exchange would obviously strengthen the bond we have. Two exchanges will not make it permanent, but it will take much longer to ever disappear completely. I could probably always find you. It would also give me more control over what flows through the bond, but I promise you I will not ever use it to control you. You must know this." He looked at me seriously. I wondered what kind of karma I had built in any previous lives to have deserved him. I was sure most vampires wouldn't be handling me with kid gloves the way he was. He'd already told me before that most vampires used blood bonds almost exclusively for control.

"I trust you won't try to control me, but what did you mean about controlling what flows through it?" Claudine had said he would be able to send emotions. Again, I waited for him to confirm her words.

"You might be able to feel certain things if I press them towards your end of the bond. If we exchange blood three times, the bond becomes permanent, and you would be able to sense me as well, all the time. You would be able to track me, and feel me the same as I feel you. But with two exchanges I could send feelings, I suppose you would interpret them as, through the bond. I have never done this outside of with my child, so I'm not exactly sure how it would work with you."

"Your child?" I didn't know Eric had a child. I'd read a bit on Wiki about what they called maker / child relationships. Wiki said they were almost always sexual. Now, I was curious.

"Pam. She is my child. We have a bond of our own kind."

I looked at him, my stomach sinking a little. Pam was so beautiful. Did they? She seemed to be pushing me at him, but still? What do I know about vampires, other than my Wiki knowledge?

"Oh." It was all I could manage for the moment. I pulled myself together and looked at him. "You and Pam aren't like involved or anything, are you?"

He laughed, smirking at me. "No, we are not. I haven't had sex with Pam in almost a couple of centuries. You are more Pam's type than I am. Much more."

"Oh." I felt stupid, sitting there saying nothing but 'Oh'. I was happy to hear his news, though. That he hadn't slept with her in a long time - NOT that I was her type!

"Just think, Sookie. It's an excellent reason to put up with being called mine." He smirked and leered at the same time, a very funny sight. "At least Pam can't try to have sex with you."

"Oh!" Damn, I had to stop saying that! "Be serious."

"I'm totally serious about calling you mine." He looked totally serious now, too.

I stared down at my hands in my lap. I couldn't believe I was sitting with a 1000 freakin' year old vampire, calmly discussing whether I would take more of his blood - and he would take some of mine. I shivered at the thought, and clasped my hands tighter together. Apparently, it takes a mutual exchange of blood to make this thing work. Last time, Eric had licked my blood from my skin as he tended to me. This time, he would be drinking from me. A furious, deep blush rose from my chest to spread upwards over my cheeks when I thought of my interrupted dream this morning. Eric's face, fangs extended, coming to rest on his favorite spot. A low growl coming from Eric snapped me out of my thoughts. He was staring at me like he was starving, and I was dinner. The tips of his fangs had descended just enough to peak out from behind his lips. If they were damp before, my panties were soaked now.

He continued to stare at me for long moments before his fangs snapped back into place and his face composed itself again. I was having much more trouble composing myself.

"Have you made your decision, Sookie?"

"Yes."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Thanks for reading. I'd seriously love to hear what you all think.<em>**


	23. Chapter 23 - Author's note

Hi all,

I know you were probably expecting a new chapter with this alert, and I am really sorry to disppoint you all, but it is not all bad news!

I am in the process of getting this story cleaned up and finished. I will be posting new chapters very soon, and hope to have it fully finshed in just a couple of weeks.

Right now, I am desperately searching for a beta, and am having no luck. If anyone is interested in being a beta for this story, I would really appreciate it. Or, if you know of anyone who beta's for SVM, and willing to take another project on, I would love a recommendation.

I know I may have lost a few of you with the many many months since an update, but I promise you, with or without a beta, this story will be fully finished and posted. It might take a little longer without a beta, but I promise you will get the entire story eventually!

Thanks for sticking with me!


	24. A Deal is Made

"Yes?" I stared at her, willing her to finish her answer.

"Yes." Sookie repeated her one word answer, still not giving me what I wanted.

"And?"

"And I need you to answer a question for me first."

Anything. I would tell her anything right now, if it would help. I needed for her to say yes. It was, quite simply, the only thing I found I really needed. I couldn't allow myself to delve any deeper than that. I was in uncharted waters and was in danger of floundering.

"Why do you want to do this? I mean, I really do appreciate the lengths you are willing to go to on my behalf, but I do wonder why. What's in this for you, besides being tied to a human who might be dangerous to be around?" She looked at me steadily when she spoke, but her eyes flickered away as her words trailed off. I think she was actually worried for me. It was an interesting thought. Her attraction to me was obvious, even without vampire senses I could see it. Genuinely concerned for my welfare? That was unexpected.

What can I say? The truth, which I promised to always give her, was too much, too out there for consideration. She would surely run screaming from me if I told her she had been in and out of my life for a thousand fucking years. How could I explain all the disastrous encounters I have had with women who weren't her, but yet, I knew they were her in some small, undefinable way? I can't imagine she would take it very well if I told her I was willing to tie myself to her as a new experiment in a thousand-year project.

Of course, I could keep it to the simplest level possible, and still remain truthful with her. It was my best, and only, option.

"There is something about you, Sookie Stackhouse, something that draws me to you." I answered her truthfully, my eyes locked with hers. I could hear her heart rate increase with my words, and struggled to keep the smile from my face. "Something drew me to you the first night. I was meant to be there. I think I was meant to be the one to save you, that night, and now."

"And that's enough of a reason for you? Why? I mean, you haven't done this in a thousand years, right?" She looked puzzled, her eyebrows scrunching together. "There had to be others, Eric, ones you were attracted to. You've been around too long for you to tell me I'm the first women you've been drawn to. Why me?"

There were others. Other versions of this maddening, sexy woman. But the truth was I never even considered bonding myself to any other. The similarities between this luscious lady and the others ended with physical appearance. None appealed to me on the level Sookie did.

"There have been other women who have interested me, yes. But none have drawn me the way you do. And perhaps none have ever needed me the way you do." The way I need her. "I promise you, my intentions are nothing but honorable." I smiled at her, gratified when I received a dazzling smile in return.

"I don't doubt your intentions, Eric. I owe you, anyway. But have you thought about what this could mean for you? You would be interfering with your Queen, maybe putting yourself in danger from her. You might have to protect me from others, which could be dangerous. I don't know why you would want to bring such trouble into your life. You don't even know me."

"Trust me, Sookie, whatever trouble you could bring into my life would be nothing but a drop in the bucket to the troubles I have encountered before. I'm not worried about Sophie-Ann, and neither should you."

"Don't you think you are being pushed into this, Eric?" She asked her question softly, her eyes averted. She was adorable.

"No." Niall's interference was unexpected, to be sure, but I wasn't being pushed into anything.

"Just like that? No?" She shook her head, golden curls bouncing on her shoulders. "Well, I do. It's all so much to take in, you know? I know everyone is looking out for me here, but this is just such a big decision, and to have to make it so quickly, well..." Her words trailed off and she gave a shrug of her tanned shoulders. "I don't want either one of us to regret this because we couldn't take the time to make an informed choice. Look how fast everything changes, Eric. A few days ago, I naturally assumed I was 100% human, only to learn I'm not. Right now, we are naturally assuming this is the right choice, but how can we really know if this is right?" Her thumb and forefinger straddled her dainty little nose and pressed into her closed eyelids. The fire seemed to leave her for a moment, and a heavy sigh escaped her lips before she seemed to shake it off and pull herself back to the present moment. Her blue eyes locked with mine before she continued. "I don't trust my own judgement right now. I haven't even begun to process all of this – everything – you, Niall, Claudine, your Queen, superpowers, all of it. I'm not equipped to make this kind of decision, do you understand? I trust you, I really do. And you say to do it. My fairy Prince great-grandfather, who I don't know, and I don't trust, also tells me to do it. Claudine, my fairy godmother – are you listening, Eric? I have a freaking fairy godmother, apparently! And she tells me to do it. But not one of you will give me a concrete reason why this is necessary. In my head, every answer leads to another two questions, until there is way more questions than answers!" Her soft Southern voice broke a little on the end of her words, her frustration clear.

"I promise you, I will not regret my decision." I reached for her hands, gently taking one between my own. I meant my words, and I wanted her to understand the truth behind them. "I know this has been a tremendous amount of information for you to take in, Sookie, but I promise it's all in your own best interest. As for Niall and Claudine, I can't claim to fully understand their motivations, but I do trust Niall, as much as I can trust any fairy. Bottom line, no matter how we look at it, I can't find a downside to us being tied together." I paused, trying to gauge her fluctuating responses. Her emotions, and facial expressions, were shifting too rapidly to accurately discern. "Do you think you will regret being tied to me? To a vampire?"

"I don't think so, but how can I say for sure? You being a vampire doesn't bother me. But I barely know you. You don't know me at all, really, and you are willing to tie yourself to me by blood. What about if you get tired of me, tired of feeling me all the time?"

"I enjoy feeling you inside me." The words slipped out unbidden, but they were the truth. I'd come to enjoy feeling her life force inside me. "It will not be a problem, I assure you."

"I like it, too, but what about later? Will you always like it? You can't say yes or no, because you don't know any more than I do." She pulled her hand free from mine, and stood, pacing back and forth. "It's freaking me out a bit to think about what this will mean for both of our lives. I'm a simple girl, with a simple job and a simple life. You're an ancient, powerful vampire who lives his life ass deep in vampire politics."

"Sookie." She stopped and turned to face me, hands on hips. She looked the very picture of the spit-fire I believed her to be. "Calm down. Relax. You are getting too worked up. Come and sit again." I watched with amusement as she snorted at me, and continued to pace, wearing a path between my desk and the couch. I threw up my hands in mock capitulation. "Very well. Have it your way. I've told you how I feel about this, Sookie. I have no reservations. Any worries you have for my sake are unnecessary. I can't say your fears are unfounded, but I can assure you I will always put your best interests first."

She stopped her pacing long enough to hear me before resuming her trek, perhaps a little faster this time. It seemed she had no response. I let her pace for a minute or two, giving her time to work through whatever was happening in her head. She looked hot as hell tonight, and it was no hardship to watch her rounded hips sway back and forth as she paced. The heels she wore gave her legs and ass a boost they didn't need to begin with, but I wasn't going to complain. I was hard as a rock. I was always hard as a rock around her.

"Sookie." I couldn't wait any longer. Pathetic self-control, I know, but I had to know her answer. I watched as she turned to face me, coming to a stop a couple of feet away.

"You said you made a decision. Ready to share it with me?"

"Yes." She looked at me with determination written all across her beautiful face, but a literal storm of emotions rocketed through the bond.

"Well, what is it?"

"Yes." She gave me a quick smile, but I could feel her nerves through the bond. Her heart was beating rapidly and her fingers were flicking rapidly against the fabric of her dress. The swishing sound was driving my tension higher. "I think we should do it. But I have some conditions."

Why did it not surprise me that she would attach conditions?

"What are they?"

"I think we should exchange blood again so you can make your claim known, or whatever you do. But I think we should wait until we know more about what the Queen wants from me before we make this permanent. I know you would be able to protect me better if we were bonded, but I will not be forced into making a permanent decision until we know what we're facing. I don't trust Niall, I don't trust your Queen. I won't do this to either of us if we don't have to."

"Are you really willing to risk it?" Her answer wasn't what I hoped it would be, but it was a step in the right direction. A full bond would be better before we face Sophie-Ann, but I'm not worried. No one will survive trying to take her this time. I stretched my hand out towards her, and after a moment's hesitation, she took it. I pulled her towards me slowly, until her knees bumped against mine.

"I think Niall is keeping something from me, Eric. From you, too, maybe. It doesn't make sense to me, why he wants this. And if I'm going to be turning into a damned fairy, well, doesn't that make you nervous?"

I tugged her hand a little harder, watching her reaction before I pulled her to sit in my lap. She put up no resistance. I wanted to grind her ass against my cock, but I arranged her in a position to reduce contact. My control was sorely tested, but I needed her to trust me.

"Are you worried I wouldn't be able to control myself?" I stroked her bare arm softly, watching with fascination as goose bumps raced across her flesh.

"Vampires love to eat fairies, don't they?" She looked so serious, but her words made my erection throb. I had to keep her innocence in the forefront of my brain. She couldn't know the effect her words would have.

"A full fairy would be nearly impossible for any vampire to resist. That is true, but you are only 1/8 fairy, and no matter how strong your spark is, you will never smell or taste like a full fairy. I don't think I could harm you, even if I wanted to. The bond wouldn't let me." I wasn't sure that was completely accurate, but it was my current understanding of the bond.

"Oh." She looked pensive as she sat in my lap. "How long do we have, Eric? Before we have to face your Queen?" Her voice was small and timid, perhaps betraying the doubts she had about her decision. I only wondered if she doubted me, and my ability to keep her safe, or Niall and his intentions. It was probably a combination of the two.

"Days, sweetheart. At most." I kept my voice as quiet and gentle as I could. "It would be best for our case if we approached her first. Waiting will accomplish nothing, except losing the element of surprise. It's about the only thing going for us now." I resumed stroking her arm, attempting to reassure her. "I can't hold Compton forever." I wasn't surprised by the frisson of fear I felt running through her, but I will admit to being pleasantly surprised, and a little shocked, by the streak of determination running in her veins. I pushed a little harder. "The sooner we show our relationship, the better. It would be most advantageous if we could present a strong, united front, Sookie. A full bond is our best hope of protection."

"Oh, Eric." She leaned her small frame into mine, her head resting just below my shoulder. It was oddly soothing to me. "I wish I knew the right answer. I understand why you all are pushing me, but I still don't understand what Niall wants from me, or why you're so willing to throw yourself in harm's way just for me. It's just not fair. You never asked for this trouble, and no matter what you say, I don't think you deserve to be caught up in my drama."

"Sookie. Look at me, lover." My voice was huskier than I would have liked, and I chalked up my uncharacteristic emotional response to the physical proximity of her warm, delectable form. "I don't want you to worry about me. I have been in this world for a very, very long time for good reason. I don't intend on giving up my existence any time soon. Yes, there is a very real threat from the Queen, but she rules only because I do not wish to. She knows this, and I am counting on her being reasonable."

"What are you going to tell her, Eric?" She looked so small, fragile and dejected. I curled an arm closer around her, pulling her tighter to me. She didn't object and relaxed her frame slightly, leaning into my chest.

"We are going to tell her the truth, Sookie, or as close to the truth as she needs to know." I smiled broadly as she looked up at me in surprise. "It's always best to lead with the truth, little one. In our case, it's what will ultimately save us. Is it not true that we met weeks before we knew of Compton's mission here?" I waited for her slow nod before continuing. "It would also be true to say we began our bonding process weeks ago."

"Yes, it would be, but if it's so weird and rare for y'all to give your blood, won't that fact alone raise more questions?" She twisted and turned in my lap to better look me in the eye. "If you aren't going to tell her the real reason you gave me blood, what are you going to say?"

"She's a vampire, Sookie. She's going to assume it's because of your telepathy. If Bill Compton had succeeded in bringing you to New Orleans, she would have done the same, or had one of her children do it." I met her gaze straight on. "I will not completely disabuse her of that notion, Sookie, and you probably will not like much of what I have to say. There no possible way to explain vampire culture and hierarchy to you in the time we have, but you must understand that our ways, especially when we are at court and in the presence of a monarch, are a matter of tradition and vampire law, in many respects. Those aspects of vampire life haven't evolved very much through the years." I grinned, recalling the words she'd thrown at me the night before. "Holy freakin' medieval, you might say."

She laughed at that, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "When you put it like that, I completely understand!" She was captivating when she laughed, a sound I hadn't heard nearly enough of from her. "Seriously, though, what is expected of me when I'm there? No one is going to try to bite me, or anything, right?"

"No one will bite you, I promise. You have my word. While we're at the palace, though, it is imperative that you follow my directions without question, Sookie. No matter how much you want to object, or how wrong you think things are, you must not speak out. I will do everything in my power to protect you, but you have to help me. If the Queen were to believe you were unhappy with me, or thought I was unable to control you, things could get very bad, very fast." I didn't want to frighten her any further, but I had no choice. "You must promise me you will follow my lead. I think we will be safe, but you have to remember that it will be just Pam and I accompanying you, whereas the Queen will have no shortage of guards at her disposal. I have allies within the palace walls, but we would still be outnumbered should it come to a fight. Do you understand?"

"Hey, you're preaching to the choir, mister! If there's one thing I've come to understand these last few weeks, it's that I am seriously in over my head with all this supernatural stuff. I promise I'll do exactly what you tell me to do, and I'll keep my mouth shut. I'm not going to take any stupid chances, Eric. I want to be able to leave there and come home."

"Good. Pam and I will brief you better on the drive to New Orleans. Will you be able to go two nights from now?"

"Yes, I work the dayshift, so I'll be plenty tired by the time we get there, but then I'm off for two days." Her lashes fluttered down to her cheeks, just as I detected the rise in her heart rate. "Are we staying in New Orleans for the night?"

"We are. Pam will make all the arrangements, don't worry. Can you meet us here by 8:00?" She nodded her head. "That's settled, then. There's only one thing left to discuss."

"What's that?"

"When we will do our second exchange." The answering wave of lust and desire that flowed through the bond in that moment was astonishing to me. Every muscle in my body momentarily tensed as I reacted, unbelievably trying to prevent myself from releasing in my pants. Was it the idea of taking my blood, or was it the thought of my bite that had my little Southern belle's engine revving so high? She will never cease to surprise me. I regained my control and nudged her back to provoke a response.

"Umm, well, I don't know. I guess whenever is good for you." A hot pink blush stained her cheeks. "I mean, not like now, or anything. I mean, I don't want to do it here." Her stammering words were adorable, but seriously belied the level of anticipation and desire I could feel coursing through her. "Um, tomorrow night? I work until 11:00, but maybe you could meet me at my place after?"

I couldn't prevent the images tumbling through my brain, snapshots of us rolling around in her tangled sheets. My body, pressed so intimately against hers, responded predictably to the erotic imagery dancing in my over-active brain. I shifted my weight slightly, repositioning in an effort to remain in control. It didn't really help much.

"I will meet you at the shifter's place at 11:00, then."

"The shifter's place? What are you talking about?" Her puzzled tone was reflected in the wide blue eyes now looking curiously at me.

"Sorry." Shit. She didn't know about Merlotte. That will have to be rectified soon. "I meant to say Merlotte's, of course. I was thinking of another meeting I have tomorrow night before I will see you."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued to stare at me for long moments, as if she were gauging the truthfulness of my response, and finding me lacking. It felt curiously strange to me, like she was actually looking inside me. Combined with the heavy silence stretching between us, her gaze was unsettling me, making me uncomfortable in ways I just _wasn't_ comfortable with. Fuck! What was it about her that made me feel so out of control all the fucking time? A small slip of the tongue and I'm feeling fucking guilty about not revealing a secret not mine to bloody well reveal. It was purely ridiculous.

"You can just meet me at my place, if you like. You don't have to come to Merlotte's." She finally spoke, but she still sounded slightly suspicious, even though she still relaxed into my arms.

"I'll meet you at the bar." A few choice words with Merlotte were in order. Sookie was going to need as much protection as she could, and having a shifter as a boss and friend could be very useful. Especially in the daytime hours.

"Um, I guess that would be okay." Her small pearly teeth worried at her lower lip, catching my undivided attention for a moment, making me remember those teeth treating my own nipples in a similar fashion. She was so unknowingly sensual, it slayed me. As disgusted as I feel about my lack of control around this slip of a girl, at this moment I'm simply amazed I don't come in my pants every time I'm near her.

"What is your favorite food, Sookie?"

"What?" She started in my arms and sat straight up. "Why do you want to know?"

"It will be late when you get off work, and I would like to bring you dinner." I really hate to admit it, but this was Pam's idea.

"You would? You don't have to do that." She looked a little surprised, and that measuring quality was back in her voice, like she was weighing her options while speaking.

"It would give me pleasure to do so." It would also only be fair, considering she would be providing my dinner. She'd need a good meal. "What would you like?"

"Really, Eric, you don't have" I laid a finger to her lips, silencing her protest. "Well, if it wouldn't be any trouble, there's a place in Shreveport that does the most amazing chicken and dumplings. They're the closest to Gran's I've ever had. Seriously yummy. Oh, and an order of collard greens." She told me where to find the 'seriously yummy' food, and I had to laugh as she continued to rapturously describe her favorite culinary delights the restaurant produced. Every single item she mentioned was firmly stored in my head. "Oh, and maybe if it's not too much, you can see if they have any cornbread? I love their cornbread, and I could save it for my breakfast."

"You can have the restaurant if it makes you this happy." I stood with her still wrapped in my arms, only reluctantly setting her feet to the floor. "Just say the word."

"Don't be silly! Why on earth would I want the whole restaurant?" Her quick, laughing reply only made me wonder about her work situation. This girl was so bright, so clearly intelligent. Why on earth was she working as a barmaid? I had an idea the question might make her uncomfortable, so I filed it away for future reference. Maybe Merlotte could shed some light. "I've asked for more than enough as it is."

"Nonsense. You've asked for nothing I haven't offered. Now, unless you can think of any other "seriously yummy" items you might require, I think it might be time to return you to your friend." I didn't want to let her out of my sight, really, but it was nearly closing time. She needed to get home, and Pam and I needed to pay Compton another visit, one Sookie would surely not approve of.

"Oh, goodness! Poor Lala! How long have we been in here?" She looked immediately contrite, and turned to search for her small evening clutch. "I mean, I'm sure he's fine – it's Lafayette, after all – but I really didn't mean to ditch him." Her golden curls bounced and swayed about her shoulders as she shook her head.

"We haven't been away that long, and I know Pam was going to keep an eye out for your friend. It's getting late, though, and you have to work tomorrow. It's a long drive back to Bon Temps. You should probably get going."

"Yikes! Is it that late already?" I placed my hand at the small of her back and ushered her towards the door. "I should absolutely get home, otherwise I'll have these very attractive bags under my eyes tomorrow." She laughed lightly.

"I'm sure you will be as beautiful as you are now." Her beauty was beyond compare in my eyes. I suspected she might not hold the same level of esteem for herself as I did.

"Oh, Mr. Northman! I declare!" She fanned herself with her hand rapidly before continuing in the same overly dramatic southern accent she was affecting. "Flattery will get you nowhere, sir!" She proceeded through the door into the hallway of the club, laughing all the way. Her self-deprecating nature was easy-going, but I was more certain of my previous thoughts. She really didn't know just how appealing she was.

"Why, Miss Stackhouse," I responded using an equally fake Southern voice, drawing on Compton's smarmy tones for inspiration. "You wound me. I was but speaking the honest truth."

Her laughter picked up, spilling out of her in the most fascinating musical way. "Whatever you say. Just don't say it in that accent, okay? You sound – oh, lord, I can't even describe it." She laughed even harder, pausing at the door to the club to compose herself and wipe the under her eyes. The mood was immeasurably lighter than during our conversation.

I flashed a grin at her. "You wound me. I try so hard."

"Oh, come on!" She laughed again before stepping into the club. It wasn't long before we had an audience, vampire and human eyes followed our progress through the bar. A low growl, imperceptible to the human ears, was enough to turn the vampire eyes in a fresh direction.

We easily found her friend and I reluctantly returned her to his care. I couldn't help but to be amused by the openly admiring looks he was throwing my way. I was even more amused by the glares he was receiving from Sookie. She resorted to jabbing her elbow into his ribs to catch his attention.

"Thanks for everything, Eric." She surprised me by leaning in and wrapping her slender arms around me in a quick hug, letting go before I could gather my wits enough to return the gesture. "I'll see you tomorrow. Night, Pam." She called the last over her shoulder as she dragged a reluctant Lafayette behind her, heading for the door. I flashed a final smile in her direction.

I would indeed see her tomorrow night. It couldn't come fast enough for me.


	25. A visit from a Demon

Here we go! Thanks so much to all of you who are still reading! I'm still writing, just not as often as I would like. But you will probably be happy to know that I have a lot more written and I should be getting the next chapter to you so pretty soon.

This is far from my favorite chapter, but after ditching it and rewriting it too many times to count, this is it. It was a chapter that wouldn't leave me alone, but had to be done. Sookie's inner dialogue simply would not leave me alone.

I hope you enjoy reading it more than I enjoyed writing it!

* * *

><p>Sleep came late last night, and was fitful, as Gran would have said, at best. I woke hours before I was scheduled to work, and after tossing and turning for an hour in a fruitless effort to catch some more zzz's, I gave up and hauled my weary butt out of bed. My over-active brain was put on hold until caffeine was consumed in copious quantities. I even managed a long, hot shower with a blank mind. I was almost dressed before the dam broke and I couldn't hold back anymore. Shrugging into my robe instead, I made my way to the kitchen for my third cup of the morning. It was that kind of day already.<p>

I didn't even know where to start making sense of the hot mess my life was becoming. Everything changed so much in the last few weeks. I snorted a little at that thought. Understatement of the year, right there. Really, I'm not even who I thought I was. I'm still Sookie Stackhouse, although technically, I'm not even a Stackhouse. Technically, I'm a Brigant. That's right, cause technically, I'm not human, I'm some sort of suped-up fairy/human hybrid. My eyes narrowed as I thought of the implications. My DNA probably isn't even what I was taught in school.

On top of my likely freaky DNA issue, I also have vampire blood running in my system. And after tonight, there will be even more vampire blood in my body, courtesy of Eric Northman. Otherwise known as the perfect dream man – vampire, whatever! – I conjured for myself as a child. One I had grown with, matured with, and made love with, all in my dreams. I dropped my forehead to rest on my old kitchen table. Vampires probably didn't have the same DNA as humans, either, something I hadn't considered until now.

I'm becoming more mutant by the day.

As over-the-top as my life has become, with my likely mutant DNA and vampire blood magic, and all that wonderful stuff, the most bizarre thing to me was still the dreams. Gran always said that you have to start at the beginning to unravel any problem you had. The dreams had to be considered the beginning, didn't they? It started there, for sure. They meant something, but no matter how hard I thought about it, nothing about my dreams ever suggested real life. No matter how life-like and realistic my dreams seemed, I never thought he was. He was a figment of my imagination, nothing more.

Until he showed up on my doorstep, that is.

Obviously, the dreams happened for a reason. I can't look at it any other way anymore. There's a reason I dreamed all of what I did, but try as I might, I can't figure this all out, and knowing what I know now, I'm betting I won't be able to figure it out on my own. Was it my freaky DNA that allowed me to conjure him when I needed him most, decades before we actually met? Claudine and Niall have confirmed my supposed ability to wield Fae magic, but it all seems like such a stretch when I think about it.

They say I am part-fairy, from a very powerful and magical clan. Royalty, no less. They say I am one of them, that my spark makes it so. They say I will become stronger and more powerful as I age and/or ingest more vampire blood. They say I might inherit all manner of strange abilities. They say I might become powerful, in my own right.

You know what, though? It doesn't matter what they say. They can say all they like, and it's not going to change how I feel, is it? I'm still going to be me. I don't feel any different with this knowledge than I felt before. Perhaps more confused than ever, but that's not a good thing, not a powerful thing. I feel weaker than I have ever felt since they starting saying all these things.

Physically I feel fine. I'm never sick anyway, and after the large dose of Eric's blood I received a few weeks ago, I still feel stronger and faster than ever. I feel weak mentally because there is so much I don't know and understand, so much I can't comprehend. I know I should cut myself some slack, it's only been a few stressful weeks, but I can't help feel the way I do. I'm at a distinct disadvantage here, and it is absolutely making me feel weak. I've found myself in the middle of a deadly game of cat and mouse, except someone changed all the rules and only explained the new ones to my competitors.

That's partly why I couldn't bring myself to tell him, or Claudine, about the dreams, even though I was feeling guiltier by the minute. Regardless of how wrong I know it to be – this could be information that changes the game again – I can't help but guard my secret a little closer, knowing it was one of the few I had and I was certain the other players had many they weren't divulging. I was at war with myself about my duty to tell him before he tied himself irrevocably to me. He was entitled to the information, even though I didn't want to tell him.

I still didn't tell Eric about being able to feel him through the bond, either, even though I had planned to. Everything Claudine told me backed up everything Eric had said, but she was as clueless as I about why I was feeling him so early. Her vote was for telling Eric, and I swear I had every intention of telling him, but I just couldn't. It's sneaky and a little underhanded, I suppose, but I liked having the small advantage it gave me. It was easier to make the decision I had to make. I could feel the honesty in his answers, even with the shields I had erected in my brain.

The more I thought about it, though, I knew I had to tell him. Even I knew it was strange for me to have had such unusual dreams all my life. To find out my nightly co-star was a real person? He deserved to know before he put his life on the line for me. I could feel a blush work its way across my cheeks as I thought of a few favorite dreams. I certainly wouldn't be telling him about those ones! God, no! This was going to be hard enough. I didn't need to divulge everything I ever dreamt.

I had to tell him about feeling him in my blood, and I had to tell him before I took more of his blood. Again, basic decency would say he has a right to know these things about me before he tightens the noose around his neck. If I tell him about the dreams first, then I could perhaps use the bond to help me decipher his reaction to that little bombshell. I treasured the blissful silence that was Eric's brain, but after a lifetime of being able to check whether ones thoughts matched the words coming out of mouths, having nothing more than body language to base my decisions on was tricky. Again, I feel at a disadvantage. I would never want to read Eric's thoughts, but I was realizing the bond was perhaps a suitable replacement. Reading emotions was a trickier prospect than reading a jumbled brain, but it gave me something to work with, rather than having to hear his thoughts to gauge his mood, or sincerity.

I don't know how long I sat there, my thoughts a tangled web, but my coffee was stone cold when I reached for it again. The old wooden cuckoo clock, the cuckoo long since given up, told me I still had two hours until work. My thoughts were by no means settled, and my guilty secrets were weighing even heavier in my mind.

We were supposed to exchange blood again tonight, to strengthen the blood magic that flowed between us. My reaction to the first exchange was abnormal. What would the second do to me, or the third, if we decide to make it permanent? My brain wasn't normal to begin with, being able to read minds is not normal, nor was it a gift from my fairy side, according to Claudine. What that means was anybody's guess. I didn't know another human who could do what I do, but there's a whole ton of stuff I didn't know about. It didn't make it less real. I always assumed it was a human anomaly, as that was the only explanation my human brain could conjure. Knowing what I do now, I have to wonder if there's not something else in my genetic code that could be responsible.

Claudine patiently explained about most prominent supernatural groups, explaining there were many sub-divisions in some species. Humans have always co-existed with supernaturals, most of us just didn't have a clue until the vampires came forward. And with so many of the species interbreeding with humans through the years, there must be more people out there like me, people with strange, unexplainable abilities due to a supernatural ancestor they never knew about. What about if I had more than fairy and human blood in me? A little dash of this or that from a great grandpappy ten times removed?

I gave up my pointless circular reasoning after a while and got ready for work. I threw on my summer uniform, grateful for the fact it was still warm enough to wear shorts, even though summer was drawing to a close. The fact is tips are always better in the summertime when we can show a little skin. It's pretty disgusting when you think about it, but by the time I have my tips safely stowed away at the end of the evening, I don't care anymore why they tipped me, I'm just grateful they did. I was lucky enough to have inherited Gran's house free and clear – Jason had our parents old house, so it was only fair – but even that was barely enough to keep the wolves from the door. I depended on the tips, and the tips depended on bare legs.

I pulled my long hair into its customary ponytail and smoothed just enough styling cream through the ends to prevent frizz from setting in. A coat of mascara and a bit of gloss, and I was out the door. As I drove to work, I started thinking again about my possible employment with the Queen. I truly hoped and prayed all Eric's scheming would pay off in the end, but I was realistic enough to know there would have to be compromises to be made. I would work for her; I knew it in my bones. Was there any legitimate reason why I couldn't ask to be compensated? Not that I could even imagine the pay rate for a telepath, but I would surely feel a whole lot better about working for her if I were being paid.

My job at Merlotte's was something I was good at, and I liked it there, but I often wondered how long I could be a waitress. I looked at Arlene sometimes and wondered if that could be me in another ten years. I didn't think I had it in me to grow old slinging cheeseburgers and beer. Problem was I'm not terribly qualified to do anything different. I barely passed high school. I had no training to do anything. I had always wanted to go to college, but never had enough money to even think about it.

Pulling into the parking lot at Merlotte's, I took a deep breath and tried to put it all out of my mind. I honestly thought that work would be a welcome reprieve from the thoughts plaguing me, but I should have known better. It never goes the way you want it to. Arlene was having one of her epic, bitchy PMS days and snapped at everyone in sight. Sam was weird from the moment we saw each other, his eyes narrowing and nostrils flaring. It's only getting creepier as the day goes on.

Lafayette, on the other hand, was in a fine mood, too fine of a mood, if you ask me. He spent the better part of his shift trying to sweet talk me into giving him the details I refused him last night, or extolling Eric's virtues and attributes in the most obscenely funny detail he could muster and singing "Big Bad Handsome Man" until I had to threaten him with my tray. I spent the morning thinking about all the practical aspects of my problems, refusing to think about the intimacy implied in my plans for the evening. It didn't help to have Lala remind me every two darned minutes just how gorgeous Eric was, how sexy he was. His constant encouragement to "get me some of that hot vampire ass" was really not helping. All he managed to do was make me flustered, as images of Eric's incredibly hot vampire ass flashed in my mind.

Needless to say, I was well and truly annoyed with my day, and everyone around me. But when I caught Sam actually sniffing at me with a more pronounced grimace than before, I snapped. Something had been bothering me about Sam for days, and Eric's unintentional slip last night had me wondering. He had tried to explain it away, but it was one of the few times I had detected any type of dishonesty from him. It all clicked in my head when I caught him sniffing me like a dog. Grabbing him by the arm, I pulled him down the hall towards his office. The look on my face was enough to keep him quiet, I suppose. I could only imagine what I looked like.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on here?" I thought I might have it figured out, but I was only guessing. I wanted him to tell me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sookie. Is everything okay?" He looked more like Sam than he had before, his friendly face looking open and sincere as always. His brain waves were pulsing bright red, though, and there was the slightest touch of a guilty tone in his voice.

"Cut it out, Sam. Tell me the truth." I took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "What are you?"

His face told me all I really needed to now. There was no confusion, no uncertainty, just a look of surprise mixed with resignation. I was right. He was something "other". I kept my mouth closed as he moved to drop into the squeaky old chair behind his desk. I'd give him time, but he was telling me the truth before I would leave this office, customers be damned. I was getting a little steamed as I thought about it. Sam knew my secret, but he was making me force him to tell his. It didn't seem fair.

"What did he tell you?" Sam's first words were not what I was expecting. Nobody told me anything. Eric's slip last night was not about exposing Sam's secret. It clearly wasn't a secret to him.

"Eric didn't tell me anything! You scenting me like a damned dog did."

"What do you know?"

"I know humans don't go around smelling each other like that, Sam Merlotte! What are you?" My arms were crossed over my chest, and my foot was all but tapping on the floor in anger. Was nothing as it bloody well seemed?

"I'm a shifter." Sam's head dropped backwards to rest on the worn leather of his old office chair, his eyes trained on the ceiling.

"What's a shifter?" My mind rapidly went through the list of supernaturals Claudine had provided me with. I was pretty sure I knew what it meant, but I wanted to hear it from him.

"I can change into an animal. Any animal, actually." He still wouldn't make eye contact, preferring to study the mottled water stain on the ceiling. "But I prefer dogs."

"Oh." Yep, just like I thought. But it was different hearing him say the words than I thought. I was hoping for an Aha! moment, but hearing him say he could shift his body into that of an animal, any animal, was weird. As it should be, I suppose.

A muted snort came from Sam. "Yeah. Oh."

"Sorry I don't have the right words to say when my boss just comes out and says he can change into a freaking animal!" My temper flared up, in direct reaction to the uncomfortable feelings his confession left me with.

"I hardly "just came out" and said what I did, Sookie. My _employee_ forced me into saying it!" Sam finally met my eyes, and I was saddened and ashamed when I saw the hurt on his face. He was right. I had forced this confession and now I was handling it badly.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I'm being a jerk." I was, too. I jumped into this without thinking about whether or not I really wanted to know what he was hiding. It was a fault I would have to work on, more particularly since it seemed as if I was going to be surrounded by supes – I was partly supernatural myself – I was going to have to exercise more caution.

"Why didn't you ever tell me? You knew about my secret. Why didn't you think you could share this with me?" Truth was, I didn't care what he was. He'd always be Sam to me, regardless. It was the idea that I really didn't know him at all, even though I considered him one of my best friends, one of the very few I trusted with my own secret. That's what bothered me.

"It's not the same thing at all, Sookie. I know it was hard for you to tell me about your telepathy, but that has always been a mystery to you. You didn't think it was a supernatural ability, but more of a super human thing. I know exactly what I am, and always have. And among our kind, silence is golden. Secrecy has been paramount to our survival."

"I get it, Sam. But tell me another person you know who has kept the secrets of everyone she has ever met?" I tapped my forefinger against my head. "I have all of Bon Temps dirty laundry right here. If anyone knows anything about secrecy, it's me. You knew that!"

"Ah, Sookie! Don't be like that. It's not a decision I made lightly. I did want to tell you. Many times I tried to find the words, but they just didn't come. That's why I never asked you-"His words halted sharply.

"Why you never asked me what?" As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I so desperately wanted to take them back. His thoughts had been snarly, red and tangled since this ill-advised Q&A session had begun, as they often were. It was one of the reasons I liked my job. It's so much easier when you can't hear your boss's thoughts about you. I knew that from personal experience. But Sam mostly just had a fuzzy red haze around his brain, and when I did pick up a scattered thought from him, it was usually images rather than 'hearing' his thought. With most people I pick up their mental voices in my head and far fewer people tend to think in pictures, a slideshow of sorts. With Sam it's usually rapid fire images that I try to ignore and block out, but he was thinking so hard at me, and about me, that I couldn't block fast enough.

"It's why I never asked you out. Didn't think it would be fair to not tell you before." He didn't meet my eyes for a few moments, and when he did, I wanted to look away.

"Oh, come on, Sam." I laughed nervously, my crazy ass smile stretching my cheeks. "Are you trying to say you tell every girl you date, but you wouldn't tell me?" I know I was avoiding the main point of what he said, but I was so not ready for this conversation. Talk about awkward timing.

"No, I'm saying you are different than every girl I've dated. I wouldn't have considered telling any of them. But I thought you and I might have had a shot, Sookie. I still do."

"I'm involved with Eric Northman." The words just flew out of my big mouth. I don't even know if they are true, in that way. Definitely involved, though, and about to be more so in just a few hours.

"Eric Northman? Are you fucking kidding me, Sookie?" The complete look of horror on his face would have been almost funny in another situation. In this situation, it just plain pissed me off. "I could smell him on you, but I didn't think you were dating Sherriff Eric fucking Northman!"

"It's complicated, Sam, but I am involved with him, yes." How had this day gone so wrong? I watched as my boss jumped to his feet and paced the length of his office, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.

"Is he forcing you into anything? Because if that bloodsucker harms you –"I cut off his angry tirade there. It was really pissing me off to hear him suggest Eric could harm me.

"Eric isn't forcing me into anything!" That much was very true. He was taking a risk for me, a big one. I feel more like I'm the one forcing this relationship, if you want to call it that, on him. "I'm with him because I want to be. And what did you mean you could smell him on me? Is that why you were sniffing me, Sam? You were sniffing me to see who I had been with?"

"You have smelled like vampire for days, Sookie! I was concerned. You haven't been yourself at work lately, and I know you are always distracted. And then you start coming in reeking of vampire! You want to be with a vampire, Sookie? I thought Bill Compton would have shown you how bad of an idea that is." Sam drove a hand through his already tousled copper hair. I knew he was frustrated and angry, but this just wasn't any of his business. "I knew sending you to Fangtasia was a bad idea! I should've gone with you."

"I told you before, Sam – I knew Eric before you sent me to Fangtasia." Thank God Sam didn't know those details. "This has nothing to do with you, Sam. Fact is, you never asked me out, never even let me know you were interested. Now that I'm seeing someone else, you got no right to bad-mouth him because you're too late! And don't go smelling me anymore, buddy! If I catch you sniffing me like a dog again, I will quit this job, Sam, I mean it. It's just wrong and disturbing, you hear me?"

"He's dangerous, Sookie! He's a cold blooded killer, for Christ's sake! Do you know what he's capable of? And if you're worried about someone smelling you to see where you've been, and who you've been with, then you should really rethink the vampire thing, Sookie. You think that vamp isn't sniffing at you every time he sees you?"

"What he does or doesn't do is none of your business, Sam Merlotte! I'm talking about you and me, and don't think for a minute that I don't mean it! I won't tolerate being treated like that, it's downright creepy and demeaning, you hear me?" I paused to take a breath and calm myself down a little. "Look, Sam, the bottom line here is that this is my private life we're talking about and if you can't promise me you are going to stay out of it, then maybe it's best if I don't work here at all."

In my heart, I really hated the idea behind my words. I liked my job, but having my shifter boss sniffing at me was almost as bad as having to read your boss's thoughts. Especially now, knowing he looks at me differently than I had imagined, it would be intolerable. But the thought of leaving Merlotte's made me sad. We're very much a family here, as hokey as that sounds. With Gran gone, and Jason too busy living his own life to have much time for his crazy sister, I really had nobody other than my Merlotte's family. We were all alike in so many ways. Arlene had her kids, but the rest of her family was long gone, as were her ex-husband's. Lala's mama was still alive, but was truly crazy as a loon and had little influence in her son's life. Lafayette's childhood years were marked mostly by neglect, and he barely survived his misunderstood, bullied adolescent years. High school had not been kind to the town's only openly gay student. Sam himself had no family, or particularly close friends outside of work. And poor Terry, well what could you say about him? Terry's demons left him mostly alienated from his family and the community at large.

All the same, my mind quickly flickered to my earlier thoughts. Sam wouldn't be my boss forever. There could be other options. It didn't mean I would have to leave my friends behind just because I had a different job.

"You know that's not what I want, Sookie! Not only are you my best employee, but I know you need this job. What are you going to do for work if you quit because of this, Sook?" Sam was staring at me like I sprouted another head. It was plain he was not happy with my ultimatum. It occurred to me that his words didn't produce the feelings of panic I might have expected. He was right, employment options in Bon Temps were scarce, but for the first time in my life, it didn't feel wrong to consider options further afield. Shreveport wasn't that far away.

"I don't know what I will do, Sam, but that doesn't mean I'm not 100% serious. I'm not afraid to walk away if I feel I have to." Hell, I might end up being forced to work for a vampire Queen, anyway. Who knew what was going to happen to my life next?

Maybe I would be forced into working for the Queen, but as I thought about it, Lafayette's suggestion flickered through my mind. Maybe I could charge her for doing what she needed me to do? It was work she was asking of me, no doubt about it. And work I wouldn't have chosen to do if given a choice. I should be compensated. The idea didn't seem all that preposterous, but it could be a major faux pas to even ask. I needed to ask Eric what he thought, but that could perhaps put him in an even more awkward position with his Queen if she thought he was encouraging me to ask for money when she didn't intend on offering any.

I pushed the thoughts of Sophie-Ann and my new telepathic career from my mind and focused back on Sam. He looked like he was struggling to formulate a response. I was about to speak just to break the silence when he finally rejoined the conversation.

"I don't want to lose you at all, chere, not as an employee or a friend. I can promise you that I won't do anything to make you feel uncomfortable at work. You have my word on that." His tone was earnest, while his voice was low, serious and controlled. "But I can't promise you I will wish you well in your relationship with Northman, because I don't. You deserve better than him, Sookie. You deserve better than me, too, but I can give you a life he can't."

"I don't want to lose you, either, Sam, but you have to promise me to stay out of my personal life and let me make my own decisions, and make my own mistakes. I know what my life would be with him." OK, so I knew what life with dream Eric was, but I was willing to fudge the truth a little here. "This isn't a competition, Sam, to see which one of you can give me the most in life. It doesn't work that way!"

"Why can't you just give me a chance, Sookie?"

A knock at the office door halted the words about to spring from my mouth. It was great timing, really. God knows what I might have said otherwise.

"Sookie? There's a man at the bar asking for you." Arlene's unnaturally red head stuck through the old wooden door of Sam's office, a curious look on her face as her eyes rapidly scuttled between Sam and I.

"Can you handle it, Arlene? Sookie and I are in the middle of something here." Sam's voice was weary, synching up nicely with the resigned look on his face. I might not have known how I was going to respond to his question, but it seemed like he'd decided for me.

"I would, Sam, but he asked for Sookie. Miss Sookie Stackhouse, actually. And he's got a couple of strange girls with him. I think maybe Sook should see him herself." Arlene twisted her hands together, a sure sign she was stressed. I sighed to myself, wondering what fresh hell was waiting for me at the bar. Oddly, it was the most curiosity as I could manage, even though it was mighty unusual to have a stranger asking for me in that way. Further proof my life was becoming stranger than fiction.

"I'll be right out, Arlene." I waited for the door to close behind her before turning to face Sam again. I didn't want things to be awkward between us. Sam was one of my dearest friends, and now that his secret is out there like mine, I felt even closer to him than before. Just not in the way he hoped. "Can we finish this some other time, Sam? I should really go see who that is."

"Sure thing, chere." Sam stood up and followed me out into the hallway. I felt a little cowardly leaving it the way I did, but honestly? Arlene's interruption just took the wind right out of my sails. Continuing our talk now would just be too awkward now that I'm not all fired up. "I'll come with you, make sure everything's alright out there."

On impulse, I reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a quick squeeze before releasing it again.

"You're a great guy, Sam Merlotte." Even though I didn't want to continue our conversation as it was going, I couldn't just leave the guy hanging, either. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

I heard the deep breath he took, even though I didn't risk a glance at him.

"Just not you, though, right Sook?" His voice was even, no hint of emotion there at all.

"I love you, Sam. I really do. Just not the way you want." I stopped and looked him in the eye. "I meant what I said. Any girl would be lucky to have you and there's one out there who will love you the way you need, Sam."

I turned and spun on my heel, heading out into the main bar area before he could respond. I felt like a complete jerk, but I knew Sam and I had no chance, with or without Eric in the picture. I just didn't think of him that way. Sam followed me silently, taking up his position behind the bar, his eyes trained on my waiting guests.

My steps faltered just a little as I got a good look at the people waiting for me. Their "otherness" screamed at me, even though no one else in the bar seemed to be paying them much attention. That in itself was enough to make the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The fine folks of Bon Temps never missed out on the chance to stare at strangers, but Sam and I seemed to be the only ones aware of their presence. Even Arlene was showing little interest in them. But most interesting was the pure static I was picking up from their brains, a first for me.

The man was tall and dark and rounder than Maxine Fortenberry. In fact, my visitor was round all over, his face and head a round ball on top of round shoulders, leading down to a very round belly. His impeccably tailored black suit and crisp white shirt did nothing to lessen the circular effect he projected. I almost laughed out loud when I wondered, should he turn around and present me another view, would his rear end be as round as his front?

My eyes flickered to the two young women standing behind him. They were similar enough in appearance to make me suspect they must be sisters, and just enough like the man to make me suspect a familial relationship. But that was where the similarities ended. Where the man was round as a ball, the two girls were slender to the point of being angular. Their faces were as sharp as could be, and yet remained pretty. Where he was dressed in sharp business attire, the girl's fashion sense could only be described as explosive. I could see no less than a dozen colors between them, with many layers and flounces visible. It was an eccentric look that few could pull off, but they did it. Kinda. Sort of.

"I'm Sookie Stackhouse. Can I help you?" I plastered my Crazy Sookie smile into place and braced myself for the coming introductions. The inevitable handshake that came with meeting new people always unnerved me. Contact made my telepathy incredibly difficult to block and hearing people's immediate first impressions of you wasn't always easy. I wondered if contact would clear the static I was receiving from their brains, or amplify the noise in my head.

"Ah, Miss Stackhouse." The man faced me completely, his warm brown eyes engaging me directly. "I am honored to finally meet you. I am Desmond Cataliades. These are my nieces, Diantha and Gladiola."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cataliades." I was proud when my tongue managed to wrap itself around his name successfully. I inclined my head towards the girls, including them in my greeting. Strangely, not one stuck a hand my way. "What can I do for you?"

"I am an attorney, Miss Stackhouse. I represent the estate of Fintan Brigant." His eyes never faltered, even as I'm sure my expression must have. Of all the scenarios I could have conjured, that wouldn't have been one of them. "Is there somewhere private we could speak for a few minutes?"

* * *

><p>And there we have it. I know not a whole lot was covered this chapter, but Sookie's damned internal dialogue just wouldn't go away for me. I needed to get the great Sam revelation out of the way, too.<p>

What do you all think of Mr. Cataliades showing up? Are there more changes afoot for Sookie?

Next chapter we pick up with Eric again.


	26. Now it's time to talk

I want to thank you all for sticking with this story. If it weren't for you all, I wouldn't be writing.

Thank you.

All characters are owned by Charlaine Harris.

* * *

><p>I arrived at Fangtasia at my usual time and entered my office intending to plow through the paperwork piled there as fast as possible. I hadn't spent nearly enough time looking after business the last couple of weeks, and now I was paying for it. It had to be done before we go to New Orleans, which means I have to finish it now. I settled behind my desk and started with the supplier invoices Pam had left for me. It didn't take long to finish those and I was moving on to the payroll Pam had prepared when she entered the office.<p>

I hadn't really spoken to her after Sookie left the evening before. It was mostly by design, but there were a few fortuitous incidents which kept Pam from badgering me about Sookie. I left for the night before she managed to corner me. Judging by the look on her face, I wasn't going to get lucky twice. I watched as she glided to the couch, only to flop down on it dramatically. I groaned to myself. Nothing short of a maker's command would deter her tonight. I knew that look.

I didn't acknowledge her presence, and ignored her in favor of getting the payroll complete so I could move on to the daunting pile of Area correspondence I still had to complete before I could go to Sookie. Pam, of course, was totally unfazed and continued to relax on the couch, idly examining her manicure and smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her filmy black dress. It was an annoying little game she had started playing around the turn of the century, pretending to wait for my attention patiently and quietly. In reality, she knew it drove me crazy and allowed me to concentrate on nothing else until she gets what she wants. What can I say? My child is a monster.

I eventually decided it wasn't worth the inevitable frustration and gave up. Facing her, I gestured for her to sit before me at the desk. My progeny quickly complied, sitting before me with an eager expression on her face.

"Yes? What do you want, Pamela? I have a lot of work to get done here." I remained a bit brusque with her, hoping against hope she would get the hint and just get the fuck out, but as I suspected, I was not lucky enough.

"Tell me what is happening with Sookie. Are we going to see the Queen, or not?" That was cutting to the core rather quickly for Pam. I'm impressed. Maybe she's learning, after all.

"Yes, we will depart for New Orleans tomorrow. Make the necessary arrangements and call ahead to have the house prepared. You, Thalia, Sookie and I will stay there. Book rooms for Clancy and Indira. Make sure they have whatever human necessities Sookie will need." The New Orleans place was one of my favorite homes and I'd never brought a human there before. Sookie would be the first.

"What's the plan with Sophie-Ann, Eric?"

"We'll appear before her as if everything were normal, introduce Sookie to her and explain we are blood bonded. She fucked up by going behind my back and working with Billy-boy. I had no knowledge of her interest in Sookie until I was already tied to her. She can't over-rule my claim."

"She'll be a royal bitch about it, though."

"Yes, but I will be as diplomatic as possible and suggest she look at the upside. I may have thwarted her plans, but the end result is the same. Through her tie with me, Sookie is an asset of the Queen, just as she wanted."

Pam's brows drew together in a delicate frown. "I worry about letting her loose in that cesspit, Eric. She's too fucking young and innocent for this world."

"I know what you are saying, but we must make the best of the situation we are in. Sookie is smart and she's quick. I will lead the show and there will be little else for her to worry about this time. We can go over the etiquette and what she can expect during the trip."

"She has agreed to be yours, then?"

I was about to give an affirmative answer when I stopped myself. She hadn't really said she would be mine, had she? She had only agreed to one further exchange, one less than I was asking for. Dumbfounded, I was a little unsure of how to answer.

"We plan on furthering our blood tie tonight." I hoped the element of truth in my words would be enough to deflect Pam's attention from the fact I didn't really answer her question.

"Fuck." She drew the word out into one long sound. It didn't bother me. I knew exactly how she felt. "Well, at least she's amusing. We won't be bored."

Again with the high compliments flowing from my cold-hearted child. If she wasn't careful, someone might think she gave a shit.

"No, I don't think we will. For now, we will be too damned busy to be bored. Make the arrangements for New Orleans, and set up a meeting with Cataliades. I think I am going to sign the house in Monroe over to her, as a safeguard." Neither Pam nor I made a habit of frequenting that home, and having an unknown human dwelling for Sookie would be a smart move should her farmhouse ever become compromised. "She needs accounts and cards set up. She doesn't have the funds to survive on her own if she needs to run. I need to find out if she has a passport, as well." That was the other matter I was going to discuss with Cataliades – obtaining some alternate paperwork for Sookie, untraceable if she needed to flee the country. If there was one thing I've learnt in the past thousand years, it's how to run at a moment's notice. I truly hoped it wouldn't come to that, but if it did, she would be ready.

"Will do. What about Compton? Shall I arrange for his transportation?"

Compton. My gut twisted at the very thought of the slimy bastard. What I would give just to to kill the prick, but I must play the game, toe the line. But his days are numbered either way. I was nothing if not patient and I had nothing but time on my hands. His time would come.

"Have Clancy and Indira guard him. I don't want the Queen to know we have him right away. I want my rights to Sookie confirmed before I bring him before her."

"Do you think Sophie-Ann will put up much of a fight? She's not exactly accustomed to being denied." Pam's exaggerated Southern drawl, which only served to make her sound even more English, belied the seriousness to her tone.

"She won't be happy with me, and I suspect she will be a petty bitch about it all, but she cannot dispute my claim. I don't doubt she'll attempt to make my life hell for a while, and she'll undoubtedly request the use of Sookie's services, but there's not much more she can do, other than try to kill me. And we all know she's not that stupid. She needs me to keep Area Five in control and profitable, and she knows it. Eventually she'll get sidetracked by some shiny trinket and I – we - will be off her radar again."

"I hope you are right. I wouldn't put anything past that deranged bitch, though. If she thinks you are trying to spite her, or God forbid one-up her," Pam shuddered delicately, "she might lose her mind."

"I'm not concerned, Pam. Really. I'm afraid she will get demanding about access to Sookie, but I think that will be the worst of our worries." I truly wasn't concerned about Sophie-Ann. I am centuries older than her, and while her guard appeared formidable, they were babies in comparison to me and my guard.

"You know best. Unless there's anything else, I will get to my tasks." Pam quirked an eyebrow at me and stood when I gave a negative shake of my head. "You might want to delicately find out if your little fairy has the appropriate attire to be presented to the Queen. Sophie-Ann can be such a bitch and I'd hate to see her embarrass Sookie over something like wardrobe. Actually, I think I'll send Bobby tomorrow with some dresses for her to try, just in case."

After Pam left to perform her organizational magic, I quickly made my way through the pile of Area paperwork, making swift decisions on some matters and leaving others for more in-depth perusal later. My thoughts kept drifting to Sookie and all she represented, making it thoroughly impossible to concentrate on any more business. Powering off the computer and locking the desk, I slipped out the back door of the bar and on to the important part of the evening.

It was just before 11:00 when I pulled into the parking lot of Merlotte's Bar and Grille, grimacing slightly as I spied the yellow heap of metal Sookie called a car. Surely it couldn't be safe to drive such a vehicle. I knew it would likely get her around the small town she called home, but I wondered how feasible it would be to expect that rust bucket to make it to Shreveport very often before it gave up all together. I frowned as I thought of it. Even with my limited knowledge of the enchanting little fairy, I was sure she would balk if I suggested purchasing her a new car.

Leaving my musings behind me in my own top-safety rated car, I strolled around the back of the building to enter by the staff entrance. Moving into the shifter's office, I dropped my large frame in his too-small chair behind his equally inadequate desk. I was confident Merlotte would pick up my scent quickly – it was the shifter's superior sense of smell and tracking abilities which first brought the unassuming, private shifter into my sights a few years back. He had excelled at the task he'd been given, no matter how unwilling he'd been to involve himself in our world. It wasn't the most comfortable working relationship I've ever endured, but we had managed a civil, if wary, alliance ever since.

I let my boots rest on the edge of the desk, making myself as comfortable as could be in the circumstances, as I took a good look at my surroundings. Merlotte's office was no more assuming or pretentious than mine, mixing well worn, serviceable furniture with steel filing cabinets and shelving. A large corkboard hung above the blue plaid couch, with dozens of photographs thumbtacked in random order all over the surface. Even from my seated position across the room, I could identify Sookie in a large percentage of them. Many were of her and fellow employee's, easily identifiable in their uniforms. Many were clearly snapshots taken at Merlotte's of happy co-workers and customers, but a few were clearly taken outside, under the sun. One picture called to me, drawing me to my feet and across the room for a better look.

Everything about the photograph was bright, with the blazing sun in the bright blue sky dotted with bright white clouds, but the most brilliant of all was Sookie, her golden hair a halo about her face and shoulders as she laughed at the camera. She was beautiful. Stunning. The tight pink tank top she wore, paired with an itsy pair of denim cut-off shorts, showcased her glorious skin to perfection. She was golden, her skin and hair glowing in the sun. Her beautiful eyes appeared a deeper blue in the sunlight. My hand reached out, allowing my fingers to trail across her image, captivated by her unique beauty showcased in sunshine. I removed the photo and was just slipping it inside my jacket pocket when the door opened and the stink of shifter wafted in ahead of .

"What the hell are you doing in my office, Northman?" The normally quiet shifter actually growled low in his chest when he caught sight of me. His reaction was not what I was expecting. The animosity flowing from him was palpable, the tension in the room undeniable. I didn't allow it to detract me from my intended course of action.

"It's great to see you again, too. I'm great, thanks for asking." I smiled mockingly before continuing in a serious tone. "It's time to tell Sookie, shifter. She has a rudimentary understanding of our world, but she knows there's more than human and vampire. She needs to know what you are. So we are clear, one of us is going to tell her."

The shifter's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing to slits as he stared at me, nostrils flaring and twitching. He snorted out loud before he answered me.

"Too late for you and your threats, vampire. Sookie already knows." He turned his back to me to walk towards his desk, lowering his much smaller frame into the chair I had just vacated. "She cornered me this afternoon and demanded to know what I was. I assumed you had told her."

Interesting. How did the she figure this one out? I knew she reacted to my slip last night, but it wouldn't have been enough to out the shifter.

"I told her nothing. Did she say how she knew you weren't human?" I remembered the night she explained her telepathy to me, saying her boss thought more in colors and was harder to read. Now she knows there are more than humans and vampires sharing this world, she's probably realizing different brain activity may equal different supernatural races. Could that have been enough to tip her off?

The shifter flushed, his eyes avoiding mine. Even more interesting. He was embarrassed by how she discovered his secret abilities. It took a long time before he finally muttered out the truth.

"I could smell your stink coming off her and she caught me scenting her." He glared at me then, and I could see the truth clearly. The shifter was in love with my fairy. How sweet. I would make sure he would never have her, of course. She's always been mine and if I can help it, it will stay that way. I wouldn't deny the advantages of having a besotted shifter, one capable of turning into any variety of vicious predator, enamoured by my fairy. He would be even more useful to use in her protection if need be. "What are you doing with her, Northman? Sookie is not your kind of girl."

I laughed humorlessly at his words. If he only knew.

"Don't worry about Sookie, shifter. It turns out she is exactly my kind of girl. My goal is to keep that girl alive and well."

"The best way to do that is to stay out of her life, vampire! She was safe until vampires came into her life. Leave her be and she will live a long, healthy life the way she was meant to." His wounded passion was entertaining, but I didn't like his words. She would never be truly safe again, and vampires were only part of her problems.

"The danger Sookie is facing didn't originate with vampires. But it has been left to me to ensure her safety, and I intend on doing just that." I stared hard at him before dropping the big bomb on his head. I didn't think he would react well. "As for leaving her alone, that is no longer an option. We are bonded."

"Fuck." Merlotte's one word reply summed it up nicely, I thought. Until he opened his mouth again. "Fuck, Northman! What the fuck have you done to her? Why would you do that?" The expression on his face was one of horror and disgust, but it was actually kind of funny.

"She will be safe, and that is all that matters." She would be safe, no matter what I had to do to ensure it.

"How can you say that? How can a girl like Sookie survive in your world, Northman? You don't know her. I do. I know how she was raised; I know the values and beliefs Adele Stackhouse instilled in her. She is innocent, Northman. You will ruin her life."

I stared at him contemplatively as he spoke. Did the idiot really believe these were not issues he had considered? I knew how sheltered Sookie's life had been. I knew she would face more than a few moral quandaries dealing with our kind. But the Sookie I know has more mettle, more backbone than the girl the shifter thinks he knows so well. I have the utmost faith she will rise to the occasion when she needs to.

"Sookie is stronger than you give her credit for. I won't deny her involvement in my life is dangerous, but as I said, the danger she is facing is coming from all angles, and I'm responsible for her safey. I would like nothing more than to give her back her peaceful country life, but it's not going to happen."

The shifter stared at me. I was right, and he knew it. I wondered if he would admit it or if I would have to withstand more of this pointless posturing.

"Are you going to take her away from her home?"

"If Sookie chooses to live out her days in Bon Temps, it will be her choice. Do I want her in Shreveport with me? Yes. I believe she is destined for better things than waitressing." She deserved better than a life of slinging cheeseburgers and beers for paltry tips. She was wasted on a sleepy backwater town like Bon Temps. It would always represent home to her, I was sure of that, but I hoped she could be convinced to live elsewhere. Hell, she should see the fucking world.

"She might be too good for us, vampire, but Sookie will always have a home here. If you take her away from us, you'd best be sure she stays healthy and deliriously fucking happy, or I will find a way to stake you myself. Hear me?"

The expression of defeat on his face said all I needed to know. He really did love her and he knew he would never have a chance with her now. I almost felt sorry for him. Sookie was mine in ways he could never comprehend. She was my fate, my destiny, I was sure of it, and I was hers. She'd would be wasted raising litters of pups with the shifter.

"You have my word, shifter." I didn't freely offer my word to any but vampires but it came easily to my lips, all the same. "I hope I can count on you to look out for her when I am not around?"

"I will always look out for her. I don't need you to tell me to." His chin jutted out at what he probably thought was an aggressive angle, but it only amused me. He was no match for me and we both knew it. Everything else was masculine posturing.

"That's all I need to know. If you will excuse me, Sookie is waiting for me to take her home." I knew he would take my words at face value, and he did. I didn't mind stretching the truth if it meant tethering her closer to me, if even just in the shifter's mind. I didn't wait for a response before leaving the office and heading to collect Sookie. I could wait no longer.

Finding her was the easy part. She was in the bar, refilling the condiment bottles. Her movements were quick and efficient, the expression on her face one of deep concentration. She looked adorable with the tip of her pink tongue peeking through her plump lips. She appeared peaceful and content, her face showing none of the exhaustion she must feel after a long shift.

Deciphering the vast, swirling wellspring of her emotions was another matter entirely. She felt like a ticking time bomb in my head. It was only the centuries of experience that allowed me to maintain a calm façade as the bond between us swelled and pulsed, roiling with her turmoil. I wondered what had her so rattled.

If it was the shifter's doing, I would give him to Pam as an early birthday present.

I crossed the empty bar, making sure to move at human speed and let my footsteps be heard. I didn't want to "freak her out" as she has accused me of doing in the past. Even still, I was upon her and speaking her name before she finally turned to look at me. It took her a moment to fully focus and when she did, I felt an immediate difference in our connection. Her emotions were still scattered, but there was a sense of excitement and happiness coming through that was absent before.

"Eric! Goodness, is it 11:00 already?" Her quick hands moved to clear the last of the bottles away before flying to her head, smoothing over her hair. "How are you?

"I am well, Sookie. And you?"

"Oh, well, a little like a ping pong ball, if you really want to know." The idiom made little sense to me at first. "I've had a bit of a rough day, and I kind of feel all over the place." Ah. Now I understand. "I'd really like nothing more than to get out of here."

"Your wish, my lady, is my command." I gave her a low bow, making a slow smile creep across her face. She grabbed her bag from behind the bar and we were off.

The ride to Hummingbird Lane was quiet, but comfortably so. Sookie was once again lost to her thoughts, but far more than she was before. She felt deeply contemplative, and the feeling seemed appropriate for the evening's intended activities. I left her to her thoughts until we reached her home.

Sookie excused herself when we entered the house and I went the kitchen to get her meal ready. Obviously, food preparation wasn't something I was naturally comfortable with, but some instinct drove me – perhaps a subconscious effort to prove to Sookie I could be the mate she needed. The extra helpful restaurant staff had given me precise directions for reheating her meal, and I was eager to get it prepared for her. My meal would come later.

I had the food warmed and placed in the table when she entered the kitchen smelling like strawberries, her hair still damp from her hasty shower. Her curvaceous form was wrapped in some kind of clinging, soft blue cotton, the color making her eyes stand out from her clean scrubbed face. She was a rare beauty, needing no paint, no powder, no artifice or jewels to shine.

"Oh, I've been looking forward to this so much! Thanks again!" She skipped to me like a child and placed a kiss on my cheek before continuing to the fridge and pouring a glass of tea. She waved to the empty chairs as she took her own seat. I chose the chair directly across from her and watched as she dug into her dinner with considerable gusto.

"Oh, my God, Eric, I wish you could taste this. It is so very, very good." Her plump lips opened to allow another forkful to slide between them, moaning low in her throat as she ate.

"I'm sure it is, but I'll have to take your word for it." I could feel myself hardening as I watched her eat. Only this woman could make food a sensual experience for a vampire. To distract myself, I asked her about her day.

"It wasn't the greatest one I've ever clocked, but it had its good points, too, I suppose." She paused to take another bite of cornbread, her tongue flickering out to grab an errant crumb. "I don't know. I let myself think too much this morning and then things just went to hell at work today. You knew Sam was a shifter, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Would you have told me?"

"Yes. I would have given him the chance to tell you first, but I would have told you myself if he didn't." I paused to see how she was receiving my words, but she gave nothing away. "It's a dangerous world, Sookie, and you need all the help you can get to survive it. The shifter can be an asset."

"The shifter has a name. It's Sam." She shot her words at me, but I detected no real heat behind them. "I don't want to pull my friends into this mess, Eric. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to one of them because of me."

"I'm not suggesting that Sam become your bodyguard, Sookie. But in a crisis situation, I wouldn't want him to hesitate to shift into a being able to protect you. If you were unaware of his abilities, that hesitation might be lethal."

"I get what you are saying. It was just such a shock to put it together in my head. And to hear him say it out loud? That was something I never thought I would experience." She shook her head, looking a little sad. "I can't believe he never told me. He knew about me, and he just let me go on thinking I was the only weird one, the only one with a freakish secret to hide. It would have meant everything to me to have known that wasn't true."

"You are neither weird, nor freakish, Sookie. You are gifted. And you know you are not alone."

"A gift can be returned, Eric. Or refused. This is more of a curse." She broke eye contact with me for a moment and looked at the remnants of her meal in front of her. Even without being able to feel her in my blood, I could see the hurt in her face as she spoke of her telepathy. I didn't know how to fix a lifetime of hurt, even as I wished I could take it all away. I decided it was a conversation left for a better time.

"Even an unwanted gift can be appreciated with time, Sookie. As for the shifter, I wouldn't take it personally. There is a code of silence that most supes live by that doesn't allow for easy confessions."

She snorted at my easy dismissal of the problem. "That's a load of bull crap, Eric. Even if I didn't know it myself, Sam knew I was more than human. He knew I was telepathic. He just didn't trust me enough to share his secret. That's what hurts."

I honestly didn't know how to respond. Placating humans has never been my strong suit, and as much as it would anger her if she knew, I sided with Merlotte on this. Before the reveal, a human immune to my glamour would have been enemy number one. There is no way I could have taken the chance on her. I sympathized with Merlotte, but his loss was my gain.

To break the uncomfortable silence, I took a chance and asked a question I was curious about. I still haven't figured out the cause for her unsettled emotions earlier.

"You said you thought way too much this morning. What was troubling you?"

"Oh, lord, you don't want to go there, Eric! I swear, I almost got lost in my head and I might never have gotten out if I thought much more." She laughed easily, laughingly waving her hands in front of her.

"I won't let you get lost, I promise." I used the most seductive tone I could muster, knowing it would make her laugh, and I was right. "Tell me."

"Eric, if I couldn't make heads nor tails out of it myself, how on earth do you think I can explain that mess to you? I got wrapped up thinking about the past, the present and the future. Doesn't everybody sometimes?"

She tried to brush off my questions, but the more she deterred, the more interested I was. With everything that has happened to her, taking time out to think wasn't a bad thing. But I was curious to know more of what she thought of for the future.

"Sometimes an outside perspective is necessary, lover."

"I spent all day thinking about the mess my life has become, Eric, tried to make sense of who I am and what I am. The more I thought about everything, the more questions came to me. It was exhausting and tormenting and I still found very few answers. You know just about everything, and I really don't need to get sidetracked by any of that right now, okay?" She looked very serious, and I decided to back away and give her some space. When the time is right, she will speak her mind. I nodded in response, but didn't speak again.

She got to her feet in the ensuing silence and quickly washed her dishes, leaving them to dry in the rack. Leftovers were packed away and stowed in the refrigerator, counters wiped and her tea glass refilled before she turned to look at me again.

"You're good with the silence, aren't you?" She leaned back against the edge of the counter top, sipping on her tea as she regarded me contemplatively. "It doesn't rattle you at all."

"You'll find I don't rattle easily, Sookie." I grinned her way before continuing. "I don't mind silence, I never have. Most of my many years were spent in relative silence. I find it's usually time well spent."

"That's kind of what I mean. You give me room to breathe and time to think. It's a rare quality. So many people can't handle silence. I can hear it in their head. Some folks are so damned afraid of their own thoughts they try to kill their discomfort with stupid chatter. It's depressing. I treasure any silence I can find." She pushed her hips away from the counter in one smooth move and sauntered towards me with her free hand held out. I wrapped my larger hand around hers and allowed her to pull me to my feet. "But now it's time to talk."

* * *

><p>Thanks again for reading, and if you enjoyed it I'd love to hear from you. If you didn't like it, I'd like to hear from you, too.<p>

I promise the action will start picking up in the next couple of chapters, as well as some insight into their situation.

Thanks.


	27. Are You Mine?

A great big thanks to everyone reading this story. It's so cool to know others give a damn about what I'm writing.

A special thanks for everyone who was kind enough to leave a review. You rock.

* * *

><p>I allowed Sookie to lead me by the hand to the living room, rather enjoying the warmth of her hand in mine. She gave me a nudge toward one end of the couch, while she curled into a ball on the other end. I wasn't surprised she wanted to talk, but I was curious about what was on her mind.<p>

"What do you want to talk about?" I angled my body towards hers, sliding the coffee table ahead so I could stretch my legs out.

"There's a few things, actually, but we'll start with the easier stuff first, ok?" I nodded my consent and she continued. "A while ago, I was talking with Lafayette about all of this, and he made an interesting suggestion about the thing with the Queen. See, I was telling him how I was probably going to have to work for her, and he kinda told me I should charge her for my services. I've been thinking about it ever since, and I want to know what you think about it. Do you think it would be okay, or would it put an even bigger target on our backs?"

When will this woman stop surprising me? I would have secured a financial settlement for her in any case. No asset of Area 5 would be expected to work for free, even for the Queen. I experience a moment of gratitude for her friend. It's good to know there are others who have her back.

"I would not only be okay with it, I encourage it. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I talked it over this afternoon with my lawyer, and he was kind enough to draw up a sample contract for me. I was taking his advice on a lot of the clauses you'll see, but it will give you an idea."

Blow me the fuck over. She'd met with a lawyer and had a contract prepared? Her depths were impressive, even though I was pretty sure her human lawyer wouldn't really have a clue what to ask for. I would find a way to suggest she see a supernatural lawyer, perhaps Cataliades. I took the contract she offered and quickly scanned over it, struggling to keep my surprise from appearing on my face.

It was flawless, protecting Sookie in every conceivable way while on the job, and covering her back in the event things went wrong while she was working. The contract stipulated a very fair payment for services rendered, slightly higher than I would have perhaps asked for, but well within acceptable limits. Numerous clauses stipulated the amount of travel she was willing to do, the number of consecutive hours she would work, the safety measures she demanded for herself. It was plainly impressive.

Even giving myself a couple of moments to think it over, there were no changes I would make, no stipulations I would add. I had to know who drafted this contract.

"This is an impressive document, Sookie. I wouldn't change a thing about it." I watched as the tightness went from her shoulders and she breathed a deep sigh of relief. I hadn't noticed how breathless she'd become as I contemplated the contract. "You say your lawyer drew this up? What is his name?"

"Um, I think you know him, actually. Desmond Cataliades?" Christ, really? This girl simply wouldn't give up on the surprising revelations.

"How do you know Mr. Cataliades, Sookie?" The demon lawyer was a very highly respected member of the supe community and a sought after lawyer in supernatural matters. It seemed unlikely for him to take on a case such as this.

"He's been our family lawyer for a very long time, apparently. I met him today. He came to Merlotte's."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. The fact he was the Brigant family lawyer wasn't surprising, of course. It was the fact the demon had made the trip to Bon Temps to meet with Sookie, in Merlotte's Bar and Grille, of all places. The demon was notorious for not liking to leave the comfort of New Orléans. If you require his services, you're expected to travel to see him.

"Why did he come to see you?"

"He had some family business to tell me about, and some documents for me to sign." Her head ducked down and her heart rate accelerated when she spoke, and the swirling vortex of emotions from earlier was playing around in the background. Clearly, there was more to this story.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Her head snapped up and she stared at me for a long moment before dropping again. Long strands of shining, golden hair swung low to cover her face from my view. Her restless fingers worried at the edge of the sofa cushion, picking away the imaginary lint she found there. Remembering her earlier words, I sat in the lengthening silence comfortably waiting for her to continue. She would either tell me, or she wouldn't.

"Maybe later. Is the contract okay, though? He assured me he knew exactly what to do. It was his idea to ask for most of it." She paused and looked at her feet. "Do you think that's too much money to ask for? I thought he was insane when he suggested that much, but he said it was fair, and Diantha and Gladiola agreed with him."

"The contract is excellent. And the money you ask for is well justified. I would have requested a similar amount for you, in any case."

"You would have?" Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and I wondered why that would be such a shock to her. She really thought I would agree to disrupt her life on this level with no promise of compensation? I had to remind myself how new she was to this world. If I didn't ask for financial compensation for Sookie's services, the Queen would be indebted to me, a position I would find highly useful, but one she would consider untenable.

"Of course I would have. You might be forced to work for her, but you should be well compensated for it. Don't worry about the money. It is only a pittance to Sophie-Ann and vampires are used to paying well for what they want." Another notch of tension seemed to float away from her with my words.

"That is such a relief! I didn't know if it was appropriate or not, but I thought Mr. Cataliades would know, and he said it was acceptable. I just worried if it would look bad on you, or something like that."

"I'm completely in agreement with you and your lawyer. Now, what's next on the agenda?" If we were building up to more serious matters, I really wanted to get to the problem and find a resolution so we could get on with our plans.

To my complete surprise, Sookie began to blush furiously, her lovely tan turning rosy everywhere I could see. I had no idea why, but my body didn't care, rising up enthusiastically to greet her. Just what I needed right now. I willed myself to ignore the increase in her heartbeat, the potency of her scent floating in the air between us, attaching itself to my skin, my hair, my clothes. I wasn't having much success until she spoke again, her hesitant words and tone capturing my full attention again.

"What I have to tell you is going to be really, really hard for me to say. You gotta promise me you won't freak out, or laugh at me. Believe me, I'd rather not have this conversation, but you've the right to know this before we can move on." Even though she was speaking, she still wasn't looking at me. I shifted my body a little closer to her, reaching out to gently cup her chin in my palm. She turned to look at me and I could see the promise of tears welling in her eyes and immediately wanted to promise her the moon itself if she would only not cry.

"Sookie." I stroked my thumb slowly across her jaw. "You have my word. You can always tell me what's on your mind. I won't freak out, I promise."

"When y'all had your Great Revelation and came out, I wasn't really surprised. It's not like I always thought vampires were real but it just didn't shock me." She paused and squirmed around so she was facing me more directly, but still glanced away as she continued speaking. "When I was a little girl, I started dreaming about a vampire, not a scary nightmare, but just dreams of a vampire who became my friend. This went on for as long as I can remember, just about every single night. For a kid like me, barely surviving my waking hours, having a dream friend became very, very important to me. He was everything to me at times, and I will be forever grateful he came to me when he did.

"My dream vampire taught me more about life than I can say, and showed me more of life than I was experiencing when I was awake. He taught me how to shield my mind, and taught me how to look after myself, how to protect myself. It was to him that I confessed my deepest fears and dreams, and it was to him I told all my secrets. And even though I knew he wasn't real, he was still my very best friend as I grew. I respected him so much, partly because I knew he respected me, too. He told me often enough how proud of me he was."

She paused again and her beautiful blue eyes flickered my way as she tried to gauge my reaction to her words. I didn't know if I had a reaction. It was an unusual story she was telling, but who was I to tell anyone their dreams were strange? I was a fucked-up vampire who could dream. I was in no position to cast stones. I was sure there was more to this story, and I nodded at her in encouragement.

"The dreams continued, but they changed as I grew up and matured. The vampire was still my best friend, still my confidant but I guess you could say that in my dreams things progressed in ways that didn't happen in real life." Her blush, which had been abating considerably, returned full force with her words. The temptation to laugh at the frustration of her dream vampire going places I have yet to go was there, but I knew I she would misunderstand. Her story was growing more interesting, however and I wanted her to continue. My intuition was telling me I hadn't heard the important part yet.

"He became my everything, really. I can't say I had completely given up hope on finding love, but I really didn't figure it was in the cards for me. I couldn't be with a human man because as good as my shields are, they collapse almost completely when there's skin contact. I didn't know anything else existed, and I allowed myself to be comforted by my dream relationship with my vampire. It was important to me, he was important to me, even though he existed only in my dreams."

"I didn't think these dreams meant anything in the real life sense. Even after y'all came out, I still thought they were just dreams. And I was okay with that. I only ever told a couple of people about them, and never in any detail. They were just mine. I never, ever thought I would have to explain them to anyone, and now that I am trying to, I still can't explain it."

I choose my words carefully as I considered her speech. I was still missing an important part of this story. "I am flattered you would choose to tell me something so personal, but you know you don't need to. Your dreams can remain your own, if you want."

"But that's the thing. They can't. Because what I haven't told you is that the vampire I dreamed about is real. He showed up on my doorstep one day, and it was him. The vampire I've been lifelong friends with in my dreams, the vampire who showed me what is was to truly, completely love and accept another. All of a sudden, just like that, my life turned upside down. He was real and I was freaking out, wondering how the hell this could be happening."

What the fuck did she mean, he showed up on her doorstep? If I wasn't so fucking sure she was immune to vampire control, I would have thought she was heavily glamoured. A vicious jolt of jealousy shot through me as I thought of the implications. Was she trying to tell me she was choosing this fucking dream vampire lover over me?

"What game is it you are playing, Sookie? Who the fuck is this vampire?" My tone was harsh and I knew my eyes had gone cold, but she met my gaze head on and even reached out for my hand.

"You. It was always you, Eric. You are the vampire I dreamed about all my life."

Her whispered words reverberated through my mind like a freight train. Me? I was the vampire she dreamed of? I shook my head rapidly to help clear my mind. How could this be?

"You dreamed of me? Are you positive, Sookie?" She had my full fucking attention. What the fuck was happening? It was too coincidental for me. I'm the only vampire I have ever heard of who dreams – mostly of her, or what has passed for her throughout my time. And now here she is in my life again, but this time, she dreams of me as well. It made me wonder if any of the others had dreamed of me like that. None had ever said so.

"Yes, I am positive. It was you." She blushed again, or perhaps still, I wasn't sure. What I was sure of were the vibrant, bouncy feelings she was passing through her blood. There was a healthy dose of uncertainty and fear floating about in the background, but it was clear my Sookie was having a hard time keeping her mind out of the gutter. I would have to remember to ask for the more intimate details at a more intimate time.

"Perhaps you just think it was me because of the blood we share? Ingesting vampire blood can cause a human to have all sorts of dreams about the donor vampire." It was a valid point. I was willing to offer up any plausible explanation I could think of.

"No. It was you. I am certain. I knew it the instant I laid eyes on you. Remember, I fainted dead away at your feet cause I was awake, and you were still standing there. Sure, I'd had your blood the night before, but I didn't know that, and didn't think you were real." She looked me straight in the eyes. "It's you. Your voice is the same, your hair, your eyes, everything. Every single inch if you is the same."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Was there never going to come a simple, uncomplicated moment with this woman? At every single fucking turn, she challenged me, surprised me, and even shocked me. What was I to think? I think I have no idea what to think and that feeling doesn't settle well with me. If it was indisputably me she dreamed of, how much of who I was in her dreams was real? I looked the same, but would it be possible for her to have dreamed with the real me, or just a reasonable facsimile?

"Tell me something you dreamed of, Sookie. Tell me something your dream vampire told you about himself."

"Um, well, like what? How about you are from a small village on the northeast coast of Sweden? You still maintain a farm there. You had two brothers and two sisters. Your mother lost several children in childbirth."

Hearing her tell me about my human life was a touch surreal, but I needed more than that.

"And? Anything else?" Her brows rose slightly at my tone, or my impatience, or whatever the hell she took offense to, but she continued without comment.

"How about the fact you love your maker, even though many vampires despise theirs? You speak over a dozen languages, but you are most proud of learning Mandarin." She looked at me with the question written plainly on her face, and I nodded my agreement. She was right on all counts. I still wanted more and told her so.

"You traveled for hundreds of years and didn't stay anywhere for long, but you loved the time you spent in the Mediterranean region, except Spain. You left your maker in Spain and went off on your own."

Another nod.

"You play piano and once played with Bach. You drank William Shakespeare, of all people! You learned to wield a sword in your human years, and perfected your skill as a vampire, but you studied in Japan for three years, as well, and learned to use smaller weapons there."

She paused for a moment, looking at me intently. When she finally spoke, her words convinced me more than any other of the true statements she made. "And you dream about me."

"All of those things are true." I didn't elaborate further, even though she clearly was expecting more. I was still trying to process and it wasn't happening as fast as I needed it to.

"Okay. It's settled then. It was you, actually you, in my dreams." The color dancing across her skin faded away, leaving her looking pale and shaky. She took a breath and held it deeply for a long moment. Her noisy exhale added a strange gravity to her words.

"I do not know the meaning of this, Sookie. I wish I had magical words for you to make it all better, but I don't. I have never heard of such a phenomenon, but that is hardly surprising." I leaned forward, grasping her hands in mine, pulling on her just enough to make her edge forward that little tiny bit more. It was enough. Any closer and I couldn't guarantee how long I could keep playing the gentleman vampire caller. "But I promise you, if there is any way to figure this out, we will. For now, I think we should look at it like the fates telling us bonding is the right path for us. Were you bonded to your dream me?"

And the blush was back tenfold. It was such a fascinating part of her. You could never tell what would set her off.

"Well, I don't know if you would call it bonding. It was never called that between us. But yes, you did drink from me, and I did take your blood, but it didn't feel the same way in the dreams, I couldn't feel you in me like this."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her hands ripped from mine and flew to cover her mouth. It took me a moment to grasp what she had said to cause such a reaction, but when I did, I don't think I felt the same level of surprise as I should have. Being around Sookie seems to have upped my tolerance.

"What do you mean, lover?" I kept my tone soft, sweet and seductive as I could manage. I did not want her to bolt. "Can you feel me inside you?"

"I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but yes, I can sense you. I was going to tell you tonight. It was next on the agenda, I promise. I spent a lot of time thinking today and I decided I couldn't go any further without telling you the truth about these things. I don't want you to tie yourself to me under any false pretenses at all. I couldn't do that to you."

"Tell me." My voice was low and very controlled, and I tried my best to remain calm and not frighten her. I got an iron grip on my emotions, unsure of just how much of me she could sense. "Explain how I feel inside you." As curious as I was about the situation, I hardly noticed the double entendre in my words. I waited patiently as she seemed to gather her thoughts. As little as I knew about bonding between human and vampire, I knew nothing of vampire being tied to a fairy/human hybrid. Why should I have expected our tie to be anything but unique?

"It's really hard to describe it, but it feels like there's a small rope inside my head and when you are awake, it vibrates, or hums or something like that. I can barely feel it unless I look for it and then it seems to, oh I don't know! Like – pulse, maybe? If I go looking for it, it makes itself known, OK? The closer I get to you, the more I feel it. It's there whether I look for it or not."

She paused there, but I didn't interject. She just looked at me for a moment before wetting her lips and continuing.

"When I am physically near you, I can feel you humming in my veins and taking up residence at the end of that rope. I can sense you much clearer, although most of the time I can't figure it out too easy. You know how when you feel something, you feel it in your head, but you also feel it in your heart and in your gut? With you, it's as if there's a spot in my head where I can feel what I think is what you are feeling. There's a place in my heart where I can feel what you feel, and a spot in my gut that does, too. It's separate from what I feel, and it feels different from how I feel. That's why I think it's you."

Fuck my life. Fuck it. I have survived, thrived, even, for a thousand years and I have done so by being smart, and learning every fucking thing there was to know about each and every fucked up obstacle I faced. This girl was seriously causing me to slip. I had to get a fucking grip. I need to speak with Godric and find out more about what I should expect. I knew one exchange should not have done this but perhaps the quantity of blood and my age might have contributed?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought it was for the best, really. What do I know, Eric? All of this came at me so damned fast, and everything was spinning so out of control! According to you, I should not be able to sense this yet. Claudine says I shouldn't be able to, either. But I could, and I just thought it should remain my secret until I decided what to do about this whole mess my life is." She leaned closer to me and stared directly into my eyes. I could feel her pressing her intent at me loud and clear through our tie, her sincerity and honesty slamming into me. "I swear, Eric, I was going to tell you tonight. I was going to give you the opportunity to rethink tying yourself any closer to me. I still am. Who knows what will happen if we exchange blood again? We don't have to do this."

Her words slammed into me, hitting me in that spot in my gut she spoke of. As unnerving as her revelations might be, they didn't change my mind. If anything, I felt even more certain about my decision.

For reasons I may never understand, fate, the gods, the universe itself was determined to thrust this woman into my path. I could not ignore the lessons of history. Every single time she crossed my path, it felt off somehow. My involvement always felt forced. I had never been attracted to any the way I am to her. Every other time had felt wrong, and I knew it. With Sookie, everything is so different. I was able to save her, even as I doubted it would be the last time she might require those services. I felt right, she felt right to me. Every fiber of my being was telling me I was on the right path and I wasn't about to jeopardize the first chance at a happy ending.

She had a point, though. If one exchange caused this level of connection between us, what could we expect of two? I mentally cursed again at my lack of knowledge on the subject. It was something to think about, but not overly worrisome. The plan was to create a bond Sophie-Ann couldn't fuck with, and if it was this strong already, a second exchange should do what we needed to. As committed to this idea as I was, I couldn't help but see it as a win/win.

Was it shocking to find out she seemed to be my equal in this blood tie? Hell, yes. But I've been pushing for a full tie, anyway, one that would indisputably have given her the same ability. If the benefits continued equally in each exchange, was there any reason for concern?

"I see no reason to alter course, lover. I admit you have given us something to think about, but I don't see anything there to worry about. We want to create a strong bond, and it seems like we are. Your dreams, while worthy of further discussion, do nothing to suggest we are on anything but the right path."

Her pearly teeth worried the outer corner of her bottom lip as she listened to me, a thoughtful expression on her beautiful face. She nodded slowly in response, although she appeared unconvinced.

"You aren't worried?"

Worried? Sure. Enough to turn tail and run from the most exquisite creature I have ever known? No.

"Sookie, I have been on this planet for a very, very long time. I've witnessed things some would say to be impossible and I've learned a great deal about things humanity doesn't want to believe in. I understand your fears, but I think we will understand even these matters, with time. My instincts are telling me this is right, we are right."

"You don't think it's strange, Eric? The dreams?" She was back to avoiding my gaze again, another of her quirks I found endearing. She had no problem looking me in the eyes and standing her ground, but had no confidence when it came to personal matters. She was an enigma, my Sookie.

I kept my voice light and trailed a hand through her mass of tousled hair. "In black and white, yes, it's strange, I suppose. But in the middle of the spectrum, you get many shades of grey and it's in those shades you will find the truth. The world I live in, the very fibre of my being, is supernatural at its core. You, by virtue of your fairy blood, are also a supernatural being. Taking your telepathy into account, it is not unthinkable to believe your brain is capable of even more supernatural activity."

I paused and slid my hand from her hair to her chin, again imposing my will and forcing her to face me. Her expression was contemplative, but her eyes looked sad.

"I know you view your telepathy as a curse, Sookie, and I can only guess who it must have been for you as a child. But again, that is in black and white terms. If you look at the shades, there are many benefits to your ability. You have more control now." I made a mental note to ask her about that sometime. She said I taught her that control in her dreams. I wanted to know more, but tonight was not the night to push her for it. "I'm sure you can think of many times it was helpful. You know who you can trust, you can pick up on all manner of things. Your disability, as you say, can make you financially independent. These are not small things, Sookie."

"You're not comfortable with gaining any extra supernatural gifts, but again, you must think in shades. It will be a challenge for you, but I have faith you will be up for the challenge. You'll train, you will muster your last ounce of energy and gain control over your abilities. As much as you may not want it, you live in a supernatural world, Sookie and if you want to survive it, you must be strong. If you gain more gifts as your fairy side matures, you must promise me you will at least try to see it for the strengths they are. You will find it is easier to study something you fear than to fight it."

She just rolled her eyes at me in response and I couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad. There are people who would give everything they have to gain a tiny percentage of the power you may one day wield. Even if you don't want it, you at least have to acknowledge your responsibility to master it. You wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents with your human friends."

"Oh, Holy God, Eric! That's not fair! Of course I will do the responsible thing and learn to control it the best I can, but that doesn't mean I will ever welcome more changes to who I am. Just a little while ago, I was human, with some freaky DNA that allowed me to hear people's heads. Now I'm only part human, with a powerful dose of fairy blood thrown in. And the fairy spark blowing up, or whatever the hell it's doing? No, I don't want it. I wouldn't have chosen this. I'll learn to accept it, but I don't have to like it. And then Claudine said telepathy isn't a fairy thing, so now I'm freaked out wondering if there's even more than just fairy in my blood. It's not a human or fairy trait, so what is it? And if there is even more freaking mutant DNA in my blood, what happens if I get even more abilities as that matures, or whatever you want to call it. "

I stared at her, absorbing her outburst. Her train of thought was interesting. I had assumed her telepathy was a fairy gift, but if not, her fears may be legitimate. Telepathy wasn't a common ability amongst any particular supernatural race. Some vampires maintained a degree of telepathic awareness with their progeny. Demons can open their minds to one another, but can't read others as Sookie can. If her ability was born of another branch in her family tree, it was likely an obscure one.

"I would suggest you not worry about things you have no control over. Until you know more, worrying will accomplish nothing. Focus on what you do know, and what you can control. We'll deal with the rest as it happens." I watched her eyes narrow and her face get even more serious for a moment, before clearing like clouds after a storm. Watching her process her thoughts was far more entertaining than it should be, but her face was so completely expressive and responsive, I couldn't help it. Her facial expressions were easier to decipher than her fluctuating emotions.

"God, you are so right!" She shook her head ruefully, a self-deprecating smile on her lips. "I feel like a bit of a fool for getting so worked up over it all today. I might not stop thinking about all this, but I'll really try not to worry. You're right and I've got enough problems without creating more, even if I do have messed up DNA."

"Wise decision, lover." I looked at her with growing respect. She may frustrate the hell out of me at times, but there was an inner strength that was truly worthy of respect. She was as green as possible in so many ways, but my trust and faith in her were not misplaced. She would not fail me. "Now that's out of the way, are there any more items on the agenda that need addressing?"

"Just one." Her skin was taking on that sexy rosy glow again. Transfixed, I watched it creep from her chest and up her elegant throat to settle becomingly across her cheeks. "There's one more thing I need to know before we can move on to – um- other things." Her top teeth claimed her plump bottom teeth in their grasp and I was momentarily distracted. It took a moment to formulate a response.

"And what would that be, lover?" I couldn't rip my gaze from her lips. I may also have muttered a little.

"Well, if we go ahead with this blood tie, and you tell people I am yours," she reached for her glass of tea and took a long sip before continuing, "does that mean you are mine, then, too?"

I stared at her, unsure of how to answer her. Was I hers? It would appear that way, wouldn't it? One way or another, a version of this woman has haunted and influenced my entire vampire existence. With Sookie, I felt more confident, more in control than I ever had in the past. I saved her life, a first for me. I shared my blood with her, without even thinking about it, and I plan on giving her more. I have a plan in place to protect her, and lessen the impact vampires have in her life. I feel more in control this time, with good reason.

More importantly, I feel… something for her. It's a nameless emotion that I can't even describe, but it's there every time I see her. She's achingly beautiful, with a body goddesses would envy. Her sex appeal knows no bounds, even with her virgin status. My intense physical attraction to her was unparalleled, and I hadn't even fully had her yet. And yet, the very idea of her had been enough to banish any thought of fangbangers from my mind.

Was I hers? Without a doubt.

* * *

><p>And there we have it, folks. Another chapter wrapped up. What do you all think so far? I'd love to hear any critiques you have.<p>

Up next is the long-awaited bonding, then we are off to New Orleans to settle up with the Queen.

Hope you are enjoying the story!


	28. Bonding, Step Two

_**First of all, a giant thank you to all of you reading this story and adding it to your alerts and favorites. To those taking the time to leave reviews, you guys absolutely rock. Sorry if I didn't get back to everybody, but I had so little time to write this week, I thought it would be best to get this chapter to you rather than a reply. Just know I appreciate every single one of you**_.

* * *

><p>Lordy, I'm really going for broke here, aren't I? Confession seemed good for my soul and now I want him to 'fess up, too. What did he want from me? Not that I knew what I wanted from him, not at all. I knew if there was anything more than friendship between us, he was going to have to learn how to be a one-woman man. Loyalty and fidelity were important to me, and not concepts I would ever be convinced to negotiate.<p>

His face was impassive as he contemplated my question. I watched him get lost in thought for long moments, but his trademark smirk was in place when he met my eyes.

"Do you want me to be yours, Sookie?" His gorgeous blue eyes twinkled with amusement as I swatted at him.

"That's not an answer, Eric."

"Claiming you marks you as off-limits to others, Sookie, and I would be considered your master, your blood-bound protector." He answered my question this time, so I didn't swat at him again, but I still wasn't hearing what I needed to hear.

"Vamps may see it like that, but I need to know how you see it, Eric. Do you want to be my friend, or something more?"

"I want more." His voice, all husky and delicious, sent shivers down my spine. "I want everything you will give me."

"If you take everything I have to give, that leaves me with nothing. What do I get in return?" I felt strong and brave, even if I didn't understand where the strength and bravery were coming from.

"What do you want me to give you?" He shifted closer to me, those final inches separating us disappearing with his move. A strong hand settled at the back of my neck, cool fingers stroking softly. The fine hairs at the nape of my neck stood up begging for his attention. I shivered as I thought of the possibilities.

"I need to know you are here because you want me as much as I want you. I want everything from you, too, but I need to know this is not just because of some misplaced sense of duty or obligation."

"It is my own selfish desires fueling me, not misplaced duty. I take care of what is mine, Sookie." His fingers continued to stroke my neck and I tried not to moan at the sensations he was evoking with his simple touch. "I don't know what the future holds, but I know I want you there." His intent was clear in his eyes as he closed the distance between us.

It was a kiss designed to seduce, meant to make me lose my mind, I was sure. Eric's lips, so firm and strong, molded themselves to mine, moving gently and persuasively until my lips parted under his. His tongue traced the parted edges of my lips, tasting me thoroughly before sliding inside my mouth. His tongue twisted suggestively around mine before savouring every nook and cranny he could reach. I was moaning openly into his mouth by the time he let me breathe. It took everything I had left to marshal my thoughts enough to ask him again.

"And if I give you everything?" I leaned in and captured his bottom lip between my teeth, applying just the slightest pressure with my teeth before I let it go. Dream Eric was always turned on when I bit him; I took a chance with this Eric. Judging by the growl that rose from deep in his chest, this Eric was a fan, too.

I had no doubt this Eric was a formidable lover, but I knew every move that made dream Eric go weak at the knees and speak in tongues. I smiled what I hoped was a seductive smile and leaned in, allowing my breasts to push against him. "What do I get for my troubles? Are you mine, as I would be yours?"

Eric closed the slight distance between us and captured my lips for another round of bliss. One hand cupped my face, his thumb rubbing absently across my cheekbone as his mouth plundered mine. His free hand cupped my breast, kneading and squeezing through the thin material. I grew frustrated at the awkward angle and made my move without even thinking.

I swung my leg over Eric's thighs to straddle him. We moaned in unison as my over-heated center came to rest over his impressive erection. My hips moved reflexively against his, causing more groans and gasps to come from both of us, strangled sounds coming between desperate, deep kisses.

"If you were mine, lover, I would be yours. But I ask you this." He nipped at my bottom lip, teasing me as I did to him. "Do you want us to be friends, or something more?" A quick hip jerk punctuated his words and left me gasping out loud.

"I want more." I was basing way too much of my decision on dream Eric and not this Eric, but deep down I was certain they were the same. Dream me loves that Eric with every single fiber of her being. I was taking a gamble, sure, but I was hoping it would pay off at the end. My instincts were telling me this was special, something worth trying for. If there was even the slightest glimmer of hope I could be as happy and deliriously in love with this Eric, I had to take it.

"Tell me what you want and it will be yours."

"If we are together like this," I wiggled and rubbed my hips against his, "I need to be the only one, Eric. I couldn't stand it if there were others. I don't share well. No more fangbangers. I want to be your only lover."

"There hasn't been another since we met. I swear to you there will be no others as long as you are mine."

My whole body trembled with his words. There had been no others. There would be no others.

I looked straight into his eyes, not wanting any misunderstanding between us. I needed more. I needed him. I could feel his blood coursing through my system, making each and every cell in my body tingle and come alive.

"I want more, Eric. I want everything from you, too."

"Fuck, lover, you don't know what you're asking for." His eyes were heavy, the lids at half-mast as he returned my stare. The hunger on his face matched the hunger burning through my body. I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I could feel his desire pressing into my center where our bodies met. I could feel the relentless wave of his desire and lust pressing against me in our bond.

Problem was, I did know what I was asking for, and to prove my point, I let myself settle closer to him, knowing he must be able to feel the intense heat building between my legs. I was rewarded as he moaned my name and thrust his hips to wedge himself closer to my center.

"You're forgetting something, lover." I put extra emphasis on his pet name for me and grinned at his attempts to wiggle closer to me in response. "You might not know what you're missing out on," I leaned forward and briefly bit into his earlobe to emphasis my words, "But I do know what I'm asking for, Eric. I've dreamed of you – of us - for years. But just in case _you're_ wondering, we were phenomenal together."

In a flash, I was right where I wanted to be, pinned under a very large, very aroused Viking vampire. My legs were splayed apart, making room for Eric's hips. His massive erection was pressed firmly against me, making me wonder if he could register how wet I was for him. His large hands wrapped around my face, nearly enveloping my whole head. He was holding himself very still as he stared down into my eyes, but the desire and lust was still coursing through the bond, mixing and mingling with my own until it felt like one enormous, twitching ball of sexual frustration bouncing between us. My core clenched and fluttered against his erection and a growl rose from deep within his chest. It was music to my ears and I shivered in anticipation.

It was the straw that broke the Viking's back. With an animalistic grunt, he was on me, his mouth coming down hard on mine, claiming my lips as his own. His hips began a relentless rocking against my swollen center even as one hand slid under my top to caress my breast. Talented fingers plucked, pinched and rolled my nipple, periodically breaking away to knead and caress the aching flesh. His other hand slipped beneath me, pressing insistently against the small of my back, bringing me even closer to him. His mouth devoured mine with almost bruising force until I broke away from him, gasping for breath.

His head dropped to my shoulder and I moaned as his tongue flickered across my collarbone, making teasing little flicks into the slight hollow behind. My hands threaded through his hair, pulling him closer to me and back to my lips. I never wanted my lips to be anywhere else ever again. He tasted delicious and with every slide of his tongue against mine, I grew wetter and wetter. My hips were writhing against him, seeking more friction. Eric responded by holding me with an iron grip and grinding against me in rough, desperate thrusts. I reached a hand between us to his belt buckle, but he abruptly stopped moving when he realized my intention.

"Not like this," he muttered against my lips. With a soft moan and a kiss to the center of my forehead, he lifted his large frame off mine. I whined in frustration, but he simply hushed me. Before I could complain any more, my vampire had me in his arms and in my bedroom.

Standing beside the bed, he slowly lowered me until me feet were on the floor again. A sweet, tender kiss was dropped on my lips before his hands gently lifted my top over my head. A slight shimmy of my hips and I lowered my pants to the floor, stepping out of them and kicking them to the side. I was left standing before him in nothing but a white lace bra and a pair of tiny white panties.

"You're fucking perfection, Sookie." His fangs dropped down as his eyes devoured my exposed flesh. A chill ripped through me as I looked at the deadly, but oh, so sexy pointy teeth. The sheer need in his eyes might have frightened a true virgin, but my body was thrumming with anticipation.

His clothes were gone before I knew it and he was sliding my bra off. I hooked my fingers in the waistband of my panties when Eric stopped me.

"Leave them." His hand cupped my sex and long fingers moved against me. "I'll do that."

He picked me up and laid me across the bed, coming to rest with his body half covering mine. He was looking down at my body with a look of hungry anticipation but was moving at a much slower pace. His head dipped to meet the peak of my breast and he licked and nuzzled at my nipple for an excruciatingly long time before closing his lips around me. His free hand was making long, sweeping strokes down my side, from my breast to the curve of my hip and back.

I wanted more of his lips and told him so. He took his sweet time finishing with the nipple he was worshipping before looking up at me with a sexy grin. I tangled my hands in his hair and pulled him to me.

"Kiss me." I demanded.

He grinned at me again, a slow lazy grin that had me fluttering all over.

"I was thinking the same thing, lover." He leaned in and gave me a brief, unsatisfying kiss on my mouth before heading south, bypassing my breasts and kissing a line down my belly until he was licking and kissing along the edge of my panties. "You look amazing in these. It's almost a shame to ruin them." His lips trailed across the lace front before his hands were spreading my legs even wider to accommodate him. His tongue traced up and down over the lace, his nose pressed firmly into me.

"I can't decide whether you taste better, or smell better." Eric's growl reverberated through my lady bits and I quivered at his words and actions. "I think I need a better taste." And with that, my good pair of lace panties were gone.

I ceased to care as I felt his tongue slip along my folds, pushing and probing into every crevice it could find.

"Umm, definitely delicious." Eric hummed and moaned his words directly into my lady parts, making me quiver like a jellyfish. His fingers spread me open even further and I watched as his tongue devoured me in one long, slow stroke from my spasming opening to my swollen clit.

"Oh, God," I moaned and writhed beneath him at the exquisite torment he was delivering. I truly didn't know anticipation could be this painful.

He pulled back and blew a sharp stream of air directly onto my clit before burying his nose in my sex, rubbing his face over me and inhaling deeply through his nose and mouth. Watching Eric scent and taste my arousal was the most erotic experience of my life and I could feel my wetness pooling for him.

"I could eat you for days." Goose bumps broke out across my flesh as his tongue swept through my folds. He moaned and his tongue moved faster to collect the juices dripping from me.

I was panting and moaning out loud as Eric made love to me with his mouth. My hips bucked uncontrollably until Eric slung one long arm across my hips, holding me in the position he wanted. My head thrashed on the pillow when I felt two of his fingers enter me, slipping in and out with ease.

"Do you like that, lover? Do you like fucking my fingers? You are so fucking wet." Eric kept up a string of dirty talk, effectively making my mind go into overdrive. Some part of my brain acknowledged the dirty eroticism of his words, but the rest let go and focused on the sensations rippling through me. My body was as taut as a bow and I quivered every time he spoke and his breath washed over my overheated flesh. His lips and tongue made their way back to where I really needed them and his fingers twisted and curled upwards. I could feel myself clenching around him even as he tried to stretch me open.

"I want you to come for me, lover. I want to taste you, lover." Eric returned to assault my swollen center with more vigor and twisted the fingers he was sliding inside me. He pressed and rubbed against my g-spot and that was it for me. Fireworks exploded behind my eyes and meteors crashed into my body. The earth shook beneath me as the volcanic force of my orgasm ripped me into pieces.

I broke apart and screamed his name as the tsunami of sensation and emotion washed over me, leaving me bare and exposed.

"You are so beautiful when you come, lover. I've thought of that look so many times." His voice, while harsh and nearly guttural with his own desires, was almost reverent as he watched me break apart in his arms.

I sobbed and cried words of pleasure and gratitude as my orgasm continued to hold me in its grasp. My hips still twisted against Eric's fingers as they slowed inside me. His tongue was licking up every drop of fluid leaking from me, prolonging the ecstasy rippling through me.

His tongue lapped at me as delicately as a kitten with a bowl of cream. He was carefully avoiding my most sensitive areas and I was thankful. His other hand let go of my hips and move to wrap around his straining erection. Watching him fist his cock as he lapped at my juices was too much for me and I felt my inner muscles start to contract and squeeze, trying to pull his fingers impossibly deeper.

He looked up as he felt my reaction and his hand moved faster on his cock when he realized I was getting turned on watching him. His fingers scissored and twisted inside me but stayed buried as deep as he could get them. I moaned and twisted against him as I watched his hand move up and down his shaft, pausing at the head to gather the beads of moisture gathered there. I watched him long enough to get jealous of his actions, wanting him buried in me instead.

"Eric." I moaned his name and his eyes met mine. "I want you."

He moved up the length of my body until we were nose to nose. His lips found mine and I poured all of my desire and frustration into that kiss. I felt desperate for him to enter me, to make us one. I wiggled and twisted against him as our mouths melded together, my hips rocking against the fingers still buried deep within me. Feeling me, Eric pulled his fingers out and then thrust them back in shallow pumps, stretching me with every stroke. I knew I was ready and panted the words into his mouth.

His fingers withdrew, making me whimper even though I was getting what I asked for. I moaned in appreciation when I felt his thick, smooth head slide through my folds, mixing my fluids with his. He pushed just the very tip in and pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"You are sure you want this? There's no going back, lover. You will be mine and I won't let you go anywhere." His voice was strained and husky and I feel in love with him just a little in that moment. The strain he was under was obvious from the look on his face to the way his body shook against mine and yet I knew he would stop if I asked him to. Instead, I nodded my head and reached down to grab his glorious ass in my hands, trying to push him deeper.

"Eric, I want this more than I can tell you. I'm ready and I want more of you."

The words were barely out of my mouth when he shifted to throw one of my legs over his muscular forearm, causing my hips to tilt at the perfect angle for him to slip deeper. I closed my eyes and moaned as his shaft slid along my walls for the first time. He was big, maybe too big if I wasn't as wet and ready. A gracious plenty, indeed. He was moving slowly, inching his way into me in shallow thrusts to give me time to adjust to his size.

My body began to shiver and shake with sensory overload and I wanted to cry when he stopped moving.

"Am I hurting you?" Eric held very still and spoke softly.

"Oh my God, no. No. It feels too good, Eric." I pushed my hips forward, trying to push him deeper. "I need more."

My vampire's lips met mine and caressed them gently for a moment as he started to move, his hips pulling back and driving forward again with increasing vigor. I moaned as he finally filled me fully, his pelvis tucked tight to mine. A hiss escaped between his fanged teeth as he rocked against me, fully sheathed in my heat. His fangs rested on the outside of his lips and I couldn't resist reaching out and pressing my finger along the razor sharp edge. He hissed again as I stroked them, but lust was coursing through him in waves.

"I want these, too. I want to be the only one to feed you." A growl ripped from his chest at my words and I could feel his length trying to burrow deeper into me. His nose nuzzled against my neck, inhaling deeply against my thudding pulse point.

"I am very old, lover, and don't need much to survive." He growled his words against my neck, refusing to disengage his nose from my flesh. "If you are offering to sustain me, I will need no others."

He stayed deep like that for a minute, just rocking his hips slightly as he again captured my mouth with his. I moaned as his tongue began slipping in and out of my mouth in tempo with his thrusts, both steadily increasing.

"Fuck, lover. You're so fucking tight and so wet for me. You feel perfect." Eric groaned out as he filled me over and over again. The way he felt – the things he was making me feel – I just have no words, no ability to think.

"Don't stop. I don't ever want you to stop." My voice sounded nothing like me, all breathy and desperate. "Oh, God, oh, my God, don't stop, Eric."

I could feel myself grasping at his back, his shoulders, his hips; anywhere I could reach while trying to match his strokes. My mental control had flown out the window long ago and my shields were the lowest they'd been in years. Some part of my brain revelled at the silence, while my body reveled in the pleasure he was giving me. Feeling his answering pleasure and desire in my blood was an added bonus.

I could feel myself fluttering around him, the very pit of my stomach tightening, coiling, preparing to release. He moaned my name at the sensations I was giving him and his end of our blood tie.

"This is so fucking right, lover." The look of rapture on his face almost sent me tumbling to my end. "This is best." I moaned his words back at him as he pushed himself deeper and deeper into my welcoming flesh. "I will never get enough of you, lover. I want you like this every fucking night."

I knew I was so, so very close and I think I must have told him so because he flipped us over so I was on top. I began to work myself against him as he sat up a little further and pulled me to him. His mouth slanted over mine and his tongue took complete control. He kissed me almost desperately for a long moment before pulling away and looking me in the eyes.

"Are you ready, Sookie?" The nearly feral look on his face announced his intentions and should have scared me to my core, but it didn't. Instead, I nodded and continued to ride him.

Eric twisted his head to the side and bit deep enough into the flesh just above his steely bicep to leave two jagged tears. His hand tangled in my hair as he drew my head down towards the bleeding wounds. I can't explain adequately how I felt in that moment. I hadn't expected to actually want to drink his blood, even though dream me always loved to. I thought I might be squeamish about it, but as I saw the blood start to ooze and run down his arm, I wanted it.

It called to me and I answered, leaning in and closing the rest of the distance myself. My tongue darted out and licked at the trail of blood on his pale skin. Guttural, primal noises emanated from Eric's chest as I lapped at his blood.

He was delicious. His blood tasted nothing like the coppery, metallic taste I was expecting. Instead, it was rich, satisfying and delicious like good dark chocolate and brandied cherries. I moaned and latched on to his bite marks, drawing his blood into me. I tilted my head away from him, brushing my hair back and exposing my neck for his bite as my mouth filled with his blood.

I swallowed as I felt him licking my neck, preparing me for his bite. I pulled as deep as I could on the wounds once more and felt his fangs enter me in the same moment. His hands slid to my hips and took control of the movement, letting me revel in the moment.

Eric's fangs pulled out of my skin and his lips closed over the twin holes in my throat. I could feel his lips and tongue working against me, drawing my blood into his body. I moaned even louder and felt myself crest over into orgasm, the force of it causing me to break my hold on his rapidly healing bite. My body spasmed and jerked against Eric and I felt his cock swell impossibly larger before he came in jerking spurts deep inside me. He swallowed the second mouthful of my blood as he did and his head fell back as he roared his pleasure to the world.

"You are mine, Sookie Stackhouse. All of you – your body, your blood, your soul. Say it. I need to hear the words." His voice didn't sound right either as he gasped for breath he didn't really need, but his words struck a core inside me and I could feel my emotions welling as he spoke.

"I am yours, Eric Northman. I am yours as you are mine." My voice was quiet and serious. "My body is yours, my blood is yours, and my soul has always been yours." My heart was probably his, too, but I didn't feel like announcing that yet.

"I am yours, Sookie Stackhouse. My body, my blood, it's all yours. I don't know if I have a soul, lover, but if I do, it is yours if you want it." His arms wrapped around me and drew me tight to his chest. I tucked my head under his chin and relaxed as his fingers stroked through the tangled mess of my hair.

I felt amazing, powerful and strong, not in the least debilitated by the massive orgasm that had wracked my body just moments ago. Eric had come just as hard as me, yet he was still steel inside me, still thrusting gently through the aftershocks rippling through both of us. My tongue darted out to lick away the traces of blood remaining on his skin and I moaned in pleasure. I felt so alive. My body tingled all over as his blood worked its way through my blood stream. I felt Eric's tongue bathing the marks on my neck with his saliva, staunching the weak trickle of blood and sealing the wounds. His blood would heal them soon anyway.

I closed my eyes and focused on the pleasurable sensations in my body and in our now stronger blood tie. The magic between us was stronger than ever and when I tried to focus on it, it seemed to pulse in harmony with my heartbeat. Feeling Eric stiffen in my arms and the alarm coming through the bond snapped my eyes open in a hurry.

"Sookie? Lover, look."

I sat up and looked around, my mouth falling open in surprise. Soft, shimmering golden light enveloped us completely. It undulated around us, spreading out a distance of at least two feet from us in either direction. To say I was astonished would be an understatement. I looked at Eric and gasped again.

He was glowing. He always did, of course, but now he was nearly luminescent. I couldn't figure out if his natural glow had really increased or if the light surrounding us was responsible. I was having a hard time caring exactly why he looked as he did when he looked this sexy.

"Baby, you're glowing. Look at you." I grasped his hand and placed it against my chest. Against my tan, he was glowing brightly. I rocked my body back and forth, letting his hand slip down my torso to land exactly where our bodies met.

"You're one to talk. You're lighting up the whole damned room." Eric grunted as my movements became steady and I started to slide up and down on his cock.

"Is it coming from me?" I looked normal to myself and the light was surrounding both of us.

"It's you. It moves as you move. Watch and listen, lover. It's in time with your heartbeat."

I closed my eyes and focused again on my heartbeat before opening them to realize he was right. The light around us was pulsing in harmony with my heart, just as I felt the magic between us do. I placed my hands on his chest and started to rotate my torso, grinding down on him as I did. I watched as the light followed my every move, shifting and reforming seamlessly as I moved.

"What is it?" I was oddly detached from the obvious significance of me lighting up like the sky on the Fourth of July. I felt warm and safe as I worked my hips in a slow, steady rhythm. Streaming ribbons of color seemed to rise from our bodies and float through our golden cocoon.

"I don't know. I have never seen anything like it before." A part of me registered Eric's matching detachment and wondered at it. I lost my train of thought as he continued. "Aurora borealis. It looks like the Northern lights."

I vaguely recalled pictures I had seen of the famous shows of light in the extreme Northern sky. Eric would have been familiar with it in his human years for sure. His hands slide from my hips to my torso where they wrapped greedily around my breasts.

"You have the most beautiful breasts I have ever seen, lover. They are pure temptation." His thumbs rubbed over the aching tips as his eyes watched his every movement, every quiver of my flesh beneath his hands. "I want to rub myself all over them."

Eric's hands continued to fondle my breasts and stimulate the sensitive nubs as I writhed on his steely hardness. My hands rested on his muscular thighs behind me as I struggled for leverage. I could feel his muscles tensing and releasing under me and I was lost to the sensation. His body was beating in time for me, even though his heart was still. It was enough for me.

We twisted and turned against each other for what seemed like hours, our desperate bodies bathed in light as we struggled towards release after release, neither of us getting enough of the other. We battled for dominance in a battle neither wanted to win. My sweat slicked body slid across his with ease as I we moved in an erotic dance, entirely in tune with one another. I was aware of the light surrounding us, aware of the brilliant pulses of hypnotizing color as we crested over the edge together again and again. But it was truthfully only a miniscule part of my brain that wondered about it, cared about it at all.

The rest of me was consumed with loving my vampire. A lifetime's worth of dreams and pent-up desires were laid bare before me as my vampire took my body to heights I had never dreamed possible. With a worshipful precision, he brought me to the edge repeatedly, sometimes holding me at the edge until I begged for mercy, and sometimes flying over the edge with me into rapture. In the moments where I hovered on the edge, those frantic, breath-stealing moments when my body hovered right at the precipice, that's when I knew I trusted him with my life. As my tired, battered body teetered closer and closer to that edge once again, I bared my throat to him and uttered one hoarse plea.

"Drink from me. Take me into you before I fall to pieces."

His hips never faltered in their perfect rhythm and his blazing blue eyes never once left mine. But the wave of raw emotion sweeping across his face and mainlining through our blood tie confirmed my thoughts. I could flirt with the edge as much as I wanted. I could tap dance drunk across it and not fear. He would be there. He would catch me when I leapt over the edge and hurtled towards the earth at breakneck speed. My vampire would always catch me.

His tongue caressed my neck, teasing my throbbing pulse before his fangs sank gently through my skin. His lips closed around the wounds he'd made and started to suck lightly against them. A vibrating hum rose through his body as my life force trickled against his tongue. I moaned as his suction increased on my neck and his hips picked up speed. My worn out legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he pounded into me and my arms held him as tightly as I could. I was wound as tightly as a coil and I needed him as my anchor.

His blood flowing through my veins sang in pleasure as my vampire swallowed a mouthful of my blood and groaned against me. His unrestrained joy and rampant pleasure were enough to send me hurtling over that precipice, luxuriating in it as he held me tight and followed me over the edge. We came together, whispering and gasping words of pleasure and gratitude.

Finally sated, we lay together in a tangled heap on my bed. Eric's head rested against my heart and I twined my fingers through his silky golden hair as he listened to my heart beat. The light surrounding us shimmered softly as we lay quietly in the afterglow of our passion. I could feel my eyes growing heavy as my body started to crave rest.

Sensing my weariness, Eric shifted and lifted me gently and placed me properly on the bed, laying my head on my pillow. He smoothed my hair back from my sweaty forehead and gave me a sweet kiss before slipping out of bed and heading for the bathroom. The light didn't follow him, but stayed centered around me. Its intensity dropped considerably the longer he was away.

He returned in a moment with a couple of damp washcloths. Sitting beside me, he gently wiped my face and neck with the warm cloth, before moving with a quick efficiency across my torso, and then my arms. Discarding the first cloth, he picked up the second and swept it across my thighs before moving to gently wipe the soft cloth across my tender flesh.

"Do you hurt?" His voice was quiet, but the emotions tumbling across our bond were anything but as he gazed upon my undoubtedly raw flesh.

"A little," I admitted softy. "Don't blame yourself, Eric. I wanted this, too."

"I can ease your pain right now, if you will allow me." His eyes met mine and I nodded at him in response. Quickly nicking his finger against hastily dropped fang, Eric allowed his blood to pool for a moment before sliding his finger against me, slipping inside me and rubbing. I could feel my tender flesh healing and I stopped him as he went to bite himself once more.

"Don't take it all away. I still want to feel you in the morning."

"As you wish, lover." He dropped a kiss on my lips before picking up the cloth again and wiping away the remaining traces of his blood. When he was satisfied with my comfort, he pulled the cover over me before joining me under the covers. I rolled to my side and he pulled me to him, my back pressed to his hard chest. His hands were gentle as he softly stroked my hair and I felt myself begin to drift off when he started to hum softly. The gentle vibrations rumbled through me and my body gave up the fight and slipped into slumber.

I barely woke when Eric laid a kiss against my temple. I realized it must be getting close to sunrise and Eric would have to seek shelter. My eyes struggle to stay open as I watch him cross the room and pause at the door. He didn't speak, but instead stared at me with a strange expression on his handsome face. I could feel his blood winding through my veins, showing me his confusion and whispering to me about the tense bundle of emotions simmering just under the surface. My sleepy brain, free from the restraining shackles of control, listened to what my heart was saying and gave voice to the words my active brain had repressed all evening.

"I love you."

* * *

><p><strong><em>I was ridiculously nervous writing this chapter, and I still don't think I got it right. But there you have it. They are bonded, but what about Sookie's big reveal?<em>**

**_I'd love to hear what you all thought of this chapter. I obsess over the silliest things sometimes and feedback is awesome for keeping me on track, and writing._**

**_The next chapter is written and only needs some editing. I'm hoping to get it out in a couple of days._**


	29. Oh, crap!

_A huge thank you to all have taken the time to read this story. I'm touched by how many of you have made this story a favorite, or added an alert for this, and even more shockingly, an alert for me as an author._

_To those of you who left such kind words, I thank you from the bottom of my heart._

_I love you all._

**As always, I own nothing.**

* * *

><p>I woke with a smile on my face and immediately decided I wasn't going to let anyone or anything ruin my delicious Eric-induced glow. I felt marvelous, but still tingling and throbbing in all the right places. My dreams may have prepared my mind for how demanding a lover Eric is, but my body was basking in its first post-Eric Northman sex haze. I thought I knew it all, even bragged to Eric about how prepared I was. I so wasn't prepared. He's a sex god, voracious, demanding and unrelenting. He can be tender and gentle when the moment warrants, sure, but even those moments are tinged with a desperate hunger.<p>

I grinned in pleasure as I stretched my body like a cat.

Sex is absolutely everything it's cracked up to be. I had my doubts. Everything I knew about sex came from my own dreams and the mixed bag of thoughts coming from everyone around me. Yeah, every dude I ever heard was looking forward to it, but women were always a different story. Many really like it and genuinely seem to want it. On the other side, there are others who always seem to dread it, or are disappointed in their sex lives. How was I supposed to know what camp I'd fall into? Up until now, I always thought sex would be out of the question for me. I was going to go from Crazy Sookie to Crazy Old Spinster Sookie with only my dreams of my vampire lover to soothe me in the night. I thought I was okay with that before last night. Last night changed everything.

He changed everything.

I roll around on my bed, taking in his scent and laughing like a loon. Nope, now that I've had the Eric Northman experience, I want it again and again.

I let my mind run through the night, freezing the frame when it reached our blood exchange. I felt myself flush a little just remembering how it felt. There are no words to accurately describe it, impossible to put that kind of magic into mere words. It was electric, primal, wild and all of the other clichés you can think of. It was all of that and so much more. It was just incredibly, overwhelmingly right. It felt right to take him into me, to have a tangible, physical reminder of the vampire I've loved all of my life.

It was our second exchange, but it felt like the first time for both of us as I was unconscious the first time and Eric had only licked the blood from my wounds that night. He was biting me for the first time, a new experience for us both. Fueled by the desperate passion and arousal between us, our raw emotions raged through our tie as more of our blood mixed and mingled. The small amount of his blood I drank seemed to flood my entire being all at once, entering each and every blood vessel at the same time. I was acutely aware of everything Eric. My body had never felt so alive, so aware before and the orgasm that ripped through me was monumental, especially considering my limited experience.

In the bright morning sun I have to wonder what caused the shimmering glow that surrounded us as our blood mingled. In my tangled memories of the first time, I do remember there being something similar, but not really the same as what last night brought. The way the light surrounded us, enveloped us and moved with us was something I had never experienced before, awake or dreaming. Eric seemed to be as clueless as I about the situation, but I seriously suspected it had something to do with this damned spark I'm supposed to have.

So much change in so little time. Just a couple of weeks before I was simply plain old Crazy Sookie, a simple country girl content to live out life in her small hometown. I'm teetering on the edge of insanity here, but knowing Eric is on my side helps. I groan out loud as I recall how forward, how brazen I was with Eric last night. Yes, I wanted to know where I stood with him, but I'm damned sure there were more ladylike ways of finding out.

Forcing myself up from the bed, I moved to the shower and let my thoughts consume me once again.

He said he was mine. I was his and he was mine.

Just Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman.

I dare you to show me the girl who could resist such a force. I doubt she exists. He is perfection, a breathtaking example of masculinity at its finest. I have a lifetime of bias, but I can't help but be swept away by this Eric. I loved dream Eric with every fiber of my being. I think I could love this Eric, too. Being with him feels like how I imagine a rollercoaster to feel – exhilarating, freeing and downright terrifying. I don't fear for my life nearly as much as I fear for my sanity should he grow bored with me. It's the reason I was putting reins on falling in love too quickly with this Eric. I knew I could love him if I gave myself the chance. But could he ever love me the way dream Eric did? Did he even know how to love?

I brushed those thoughts away as soon as they reached my mind. I reminded myself Eric and I stood just a good a chance of making it as any new couple. Everyone had issues, and you have to work for what you want. And I'm nothing if not a dedicated worker.

I get ready for work quickly and move through the house with a spring in my step. Even the thought of facing Sam again was more bearable today. I hurried through my morning routine, downed a cup of coffee and left the house.

As it turned out, today wasn't so very bad at work. Sam avoided me like the plague, only speaking to me when necessary. The rest of the day he spent staring at me when he thought I wasn't looking, but as long as there were no confrontations, he could stare to his heart's content.

I took a long lunch, with Sam's grunted approval, and ran over to see Tara. I'd thought enough ahead to ask to borrow some luggage yesterday and I was hoping to find something for New Orleans when I was there. Tara's Togs was the only hope for anything nice in Bon Temps, and I didn't have time to make it to Shreveport. Tara had great taste and carried a large selection. Other than maybe Dillard's in Shreveport, hers was the best shop to find what I needed. Not that I knew what the appropriate attire for meeting a vampire Queen was, but I was pretty sure there was nothing in my wardrobe that would do.

"Hey, girl! How are they knocking?" Tara came out from behind the counter to greet me with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. She looked damned good herself, but her wardrobe had been nothing short of kick-ass ever since she opened the store.

"Hey, Tar. Looking good, baby!" I returned her hug with sincere affection. She would always be family to me and we just haven't had enough time together lately.

After catching up for a few minutes, we started to browse the racks and pull outfits to try on. It didn't take long for a daunting stack to appear in the dressing room and I got to it, going as fast as I could through the pile. Tara was an angel and waited on me hand and foot. As soon as I had one dress off, she was ready with the next, doing zippers and helping with closures and hooks. I found what I needed faster than expected and there was still plenty of time to look at shoes and accessories and chat a bit more with Tara.

My tummy got a little tight when Tara gave me the total, and that was with my customary discounts. I've never spent so much at one time before and I got a touch nauseous thinking of how many hours I had to work to pay for it. Money was always tight and I usually shopped on sale and bought no more than one thing at a time. I've spent more on clothing since I met Eric than I spent all of last year combined. What could I do, though? I doubted he'd ever say anything to me, but I didn't want to embarrass him in front of people who might hold my future in their hands. It was important to make a good impression and I just had to suck it up.

Saying good bye to Tara and heading back to work, I couldn't stop thinking about my finances. There's been no real money in the Stackhouse family for generations now. We all do okay and eke out a living, but at the end of the day we've all had to count our pennies and make sure there's enough to pay the bills. It's not like I assumed I'd always live in near poverty or anything, but I never really imagined much else for myself, either. I knew I was one of the lucky ones, as poor as I am. I've got a roof over my head, a job that pays the bills and I had good friends, even if I didn't have much family.

My thoughts drift to the contract Mr. Cataliades had drawn up for me and the one Eric whole-heartedly agreed with. According to the terms of the contract, all I had to do was work one day a month for the Queen and I'd make more than I would make the entire month at Merlotte's. We all suspected the Queen would make use of me more often and my mind was boggled by the possibilities. It was near on winning the lottery for me. I'd never dreamed of making so much money. I didn't want to get excited about it, though. Who knows what could happen? The Queen might eat me alive for asking for so much money no matter what Eric and Mr. Cataliades say.

Of course, if I listen to Mr. Cataliades about everything, I wouldn't need to worry about all of this anyway. But the legal papers he gave me to look over are still sitting on the table where I dropped them yesterday and I'm trying like hell to not think about what he told me. Pulling into Merlotte's parking lot, I again put it out of my head and went back to work. It wasn't going anywhere and there were far more important things to worry about now. I'd think about it after New Orleans. Maybe.

I arrived home with two hours until go time and I was anxious to jump in the shower and grab a bite to eat. Those plans were put on hold when I noticed the strange car sitting in the driveway. Further inspection revealed a short, pudgy balding man on my porch with two large boxes and an enormous set of matching luggage beside him. I turned off the ignition and lowered my shields.

His thoughts confirmed he was here on behalf of Pam. He hated being at Pam's disposal when he'd much prefer to only ever deal with Eric. Listening for even a minute was exhausting. This man's thought patterns were as fast as any I had ever seen. His mind was a whirlwind of nastiness, basically. Everybody and anybody were beneath him except for Eric. When his thoughts touched on him, they became even more hectic as he basically hero-worshipped Eric in his head.

It was a little sickening, if you ask me.

What was more sickening was listening to the little shit's chaotic thoughts when I got out of the car and walked up to the porch. He didn't think much of me, that much was clear. He didn't understand Eric's interest in me at all, especially if it involved regular trips to this sleepy little backwater hole.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Miss Stackhouse?" The little toad gave a sickening smile when I nodded and introduced himself. I snorted a little and ignored his outstretched hand. Rude, yes, but as his thoughts were percolating around the idea that I was nothing but a pudgy backwater tramp, I didn't quite give a damn if he added rude to my list of faults. "I'm Bobby Burnham, Miss Stackhouse. I'm Eric Northman's daytime associate."

I nearly laughed out loud when I heard his mind going over some of the tasks he performed for Eric. Daytime associate, my pudgy backwater ass. Lackey or gopher was more like it. His tasks for when he left here included picking up Eric's dry-cleaning and purchasing two more bottles of bodywash for him. He also had to pick up a parcel for the she-devil bitch. I assumed he meant Pam.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Burnham?" I want to kick him so badly, and I'm not sure I can resist much longer if he doesn't stop projecting such nastiness. I just wanted him gone.

"I have this," he thrust an envelope at me. My name was written in distinctly feminine, loopy handwriting. "And Ms. Ravenscroft asked me to deliver these packages to you. If you would tell me where to put them, I'll get them inside for you."

I wanted tell him where to put them alright and it wasn't anywhere inside my house. The nasty little toad wasn't stepping one foot inside my house.

"That's okay, Mr. Burnham. Leave them where they are and I will move them when I am ready. If that's all, I must be going. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Are you sure, Ms. Stackhouse? It would be no trouble, I assure you." The toad was starting to sweat, his mind going a mile a minute over whether Eric would consider this a dereliction of his duty. He had delivered the packages as instructed, but should he insist on carrying them in, even though the heifer – that would be me – could carry them herself? I settled the question by unlocking my door and stepping through the entrance. I turned to look at him once more before I closed the door.

"Don't worry, Mr. Burnham. I'll be sure to tell Eric how helpful you were." I slammed the door behind me and cussed him out in my head. I'd be sure to tell Eric to never, ever send that unpleasant little toad to my home again. I waited until his car disappeared from sight before retrieving the packages he brought and hauling them into the living room. I stared at them huffily for a moment before deciding it wasn't their fault Mr. Bobby Burnham was such an ass-toad. I sat and opened the envelope from Pam.

_Sookie,_

_I wasn't sure you'd have the time to shop for New Orleans, so I thought _

_I would have a few things delivered. Something might be suitable._

_Sorry Bobby's such an asshat dipshit._

_Pam_

I'd had my suspicions looking at the luggage and the boxes, but knowing didn't make it any better. Did Pam actually feel she had to shop for me? I didn't know what to make of that. A terrible thought struck me. Did Eric ask Pam to do this? Was he afraid I would be an embarrassment? I was glad I had made the trip to Tara's and gambled on my future. I couldn't bear it if Eric felt that way.

I hauled all the rest of my bags and my borrowed luggage from the car and dumped it all in my room. My appetite had disappeared completely and I decided to skip dinner for now and just shower and get ready. The shower helped with my mood and by the time I was done, I was willing to assume Pam had meant no offence and was simply looking out for me.

I dried my hair carefully, using a big round bristly brush as I blow it smooth and dry. I look at the ends critically and decide it's time to schedule a haircut soon. After sorting through my new purchases, it didn't take long to finish packing and get myself dressed. I chose a dark green sleeveless dress for the journey. The simple boat neck dress minimized my boobs nicely and the pencil skirt made my hips and ass look great. I thought I looked presentable.

I left my room in search of my black pumps and handbag. They were my only accessories other than the silk scarf I tied around my neck. The scarf was predominantly red with vivid splotches of purple and green throughout. I hadn't been quite sure when Tara suggested it but I had to admit it looked great. I was sold when she off-handedly mentioned how other vampires would view it, thinking I was covering Eric's bite. Another layer of protection wouldn't go astray.

Now ready and waiting with an hour to spare, I sat in the living room and stared at the packages from Pam. I hadn't even opened them and I was starting to feel guilty. If Pam was trying to be kind, I shouldn't be a petulant bitch about it. I didn't need her help, but I could at least make an effort to appreciate it.

Sighing, I got up from the couch and opened the first box, only to find it full of shopping bags. The first few were full of more casual wear and daytime dresses. It was all beautiful, tasteful, elegant and completely my style. The next box proved to be full of evening wear, all as lovely as the others. There were a few smaller bags from stores I didn't recognize and I opened them only to find a lavish selection of daring and sexy lingerie. I fell in love with most of it, but boxed it all back up. It was far too expensive for me to think about, especially with what I spent at Tara's.

My hands drifted over the last set of lingerie in the pile. It was black, with a full demi-cup bra and tiny satin panties. Both were woven with scarlet ribbon, as was the matching garter belt. I doubted the bra could fully wrangle the girls, but it wouldn't matter for what I had in mind. A sheer black peignoir finished the set and I just knew Eric would love it. I had everything neatly folded and put away when I decided I would keep the lingerie. It would at least be a peace gesture towards Pam and I really did think Eric was going to love it.

I stowed my borrowed luggage in the back seat of my car and thought about eating something, but my stomach was really urging me not to. I was full of nerves and no appetite. I poured myself a glass of milk and pulled a couple of cookies from the cupboard. It was just going to have to do for now. I turned to sit down at the table and nearly tossed my cookies in fright when Claudine appeared with a POP.

"Mercy! Claudine! You frightened me nearly to death!" I scowled at her and continued my scolding. "Still mostly human here you know. A little warning next time?"

"Sorry, Sookie." At least she had the sense to look contrite. "I promise I will announce myself better in the future."

"I'd appreciate that, Claudine. It'd be a shame for me to drop dead of shock when y'all are doing so much to keep me safe and alive." I smiled at her to let her know I wasn't really all that mad. "What are you doing here? I'm leaving for New Orleans in a few minutes."

"I know you are, sweetie, and that's why I'm here. I think, though, we should step outside into the air while we speak. I can only shield my scent so much and I don't want you smelling like fairy before you get into a car with vampires."

"You're probably right." Eric already proved he has enough control to ignore Claudine's scent, but Pam is so much younger and I really don't feel like fending her off all night. "Come, let's go out onto the porch. Can I get you some milk and cookies, too?"

"I'd love some, Sookie. I didn't have a chance to have lunch today." She took the offered milk and cookies and we made our way to Gran's old porch swing.

"I want you to be careful in New Orleans, Sookie. There will be too many vampires for me to help you if you need it." Claudine munched on her cookie and continued. "Of course, if you are in real danger, all you need to do is concentrate really hard and call for Niall in your mind. We will be watching, and Niall could get to you in seconds if need be."

"That's a great comfort to know, but I'm really hoping it doesn't come to anything like that. I'm sure Niall doesn't want to have to poof into a vampire Queen's lair."

"If you need him, Sookie, don't hesitate for a moment. Niall will be perfectly safe, I assure you. He is stronger and more magical than you can comprehend right now." Claudine reached out and squeezed my now cookie-free hand. "But it's your magic I'm here to talk about. Both Niall and I felt you accessing your spark last night. It was truly impressive, Sookie, considering you've no training."

"My spark? I don't know what you're talking about, Claudine. I didn't access anything." My cheeks burned with the untruth on my lips. I might not have known what I was doing, but Eric and I exchanging blood caused something to happen.

"Oh, Sookie! You are so adorable when you blush like that." Claudine's tinkling laughter wafted across my yard. "I saw the two of you, Sookie, so you can give up the innocent act."

My face flushed crimson and my mouth hung open.

"What do you mean you saw us?"

"When we felt your spark ignite, naturally we were curious about what was happening. Niall thought –"

I shrieked when she spoke my fairy great-grandfather's name.

"Tell me Niall didn't see that!" My eyes wanted to pop out of my head as I imagined the very proper Niall Brigant observing Eric and I going at it like rabbits.

"Don't worry, I was pretty sure I knew what was going on between you and your hunky vampire. I left Niall and popped over myself. I only stayed for a couple of seconds to make sure you were alright."

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole in that moment.

"Um, yeah, well. It's not like I used the spark thing on purpose. I don't know what I did, or how it worked at all."

"I assume you shared blood with the Viking again?" She's so casual about it, it's like we're discussing nothing more important or personal than cookie recipes.

"Yes." I am so not going to give her more than that.

"As we suspected, your spark is reacting with the magic in the vampire's blood. With more of his blood in your system, your essential spark is active and strong now." She took my hand in hers once more and held it as she closed her eyes. A dreamy look graced her perfect features. "Your magic is emerging, Sookie. I can feel the power in your spark."

I pulled my hand away from her and tucked it under my thigh. I thought about her words for a minute before voicing my conclusions.

"This spark – the whole fairy thing – everything about it scares me to my very core, Claudine. I've been a freak since birth," I held up a hand to ward off her instinctive protestations, "and I'm not real thrilled about the idea of becoming even more different than I am now, becoming less human than I am now."

I truly did worry about my non-human genes and what it meant for me. Gaining other-worldly, supernatural powers wasn't the typical human experience. I was afraid of losing touch with that part of me. Truth be told, I was afraid the supernatural world was going to chew me up and spit me out. Where would I be if I lost my humanity?

"But I am a Stackhouse, and Gran raised me to be a realist about life. If this is going to happen to me no matter what I want, then I want to learn how to control it, at the very least. If I can learn to protect myself better, and not be such a burden on everyone else, then it will be worth it."

Claudine smiled across at me. She had an excited twinkle in her eyes that would rival that of a five year old in a candy store. Well, at least one of us was happy about this.

"I'm so happy, cousin! Niall has agreed to let me teach you as much as I can about harnessing your energy, and accessing simple magic. I know he wants to work with you later, when you are more comfortable with your magic."

Claudine's enthusiasm was contagious and her excitement was rubbing off on me. Just a little, but it was there. Even if I totally failed at being a fairy, I would at least get the chance to know my fairy kin better.

"Ok, so when do you want to start training? What's involved in all this, anyway?" In for a penny, in for a pound.

"We can start as soon as you get back from New Orleans. You can start practising while you're gone."

I snorted. I didn't have a clue what I was doing and told her so.

"Your magic is a part of you, Sookie. It's been there forever. There is some part of you that has always been aware of it and now that it's gotten stronger, the rest of you should be able to find it, too."

"Just like that, huh?" I snorted again. "I don't feel anything different about me, Claudine. How can I find it when I don't know what I'm looking for?"

"Let's look at it this way. You are of the Sky Fae clan. Your power is harnessed through the sun. It recharges us, powers us in a sense. I can see you spend a lot of time in the sun. Think about how it feels to bath in the warm and light of the sun. Close your eyes and imagine the heat on your skin. Tell me how you feel when you are connected to the sun."

I did as she asked and closed my eyes. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the sun, loved feeling the rays penetrate me, warming me to my core. My mind brushed over so many hours, so many days spent basking in the unrelenting Louisiana sunshine.

How did I feel in those moments? Being in the sun always made me feel better. I would spend hours outside when I was a kid and still had little control over my telepathy. It was easier to get away from mama's thoughts and I spent hours lying on my back, baking in the sun. I had a secret spot I returned to time and again when I wanted to get my head clear of all the thoughts running through them. I'd just lie there and let the sun wrap me up and make me safe and secure.

I craved the sun. I can admit that easily. I sunbathed as often as possible and spent as much time outdoors as I could. I've been hearing all my life how it's gonna kill me, but I simply couldn't care less. I imagined myself lying in the sun as Claudine asked. I felt the rays on my face, felt my body absorbing the heat. I tried to focus, tried to feel inside me, but it just wasn't working. I knew I felt better in the sun, but I couldn't identify why.

"It's not working. I know how it makes me feel, but there's nothing else, nothing attached to that feeling." I was frustrated, but tried to keep myself calm and looking inward.

"Can you feel your bond with the vampire?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"

"How do you find it?"

"It's hard to describe. He's there, in the back of my head all the time. I know he's there. I feel him when he wakes, and I feel him better when we are close. But I don't see how that helps me find my spark."

"Your spark reacted intensely to his blood magic. I think if you can focus on his magic, you will find yours alongside it."

I closed my eyes and thought about Eric. He was still in his dayrest and our bond was sort of muted. I concentrated on our blood tie and focused on finding his blood within me. I pushed deeper and deeper into the bond, following the blood to the root of our connection. It was brighter now, a solid cord I was able to grasp in my mind.

It was the first time I experimented with the bond this way and I was fascinated by how it responded to my mental manipulations, glowing golden wherever my mental fingers stroked. I wrapped myself around our tie, attempting to absorb as much of him as I could while trying to remember and focus on how the light felt last night. I was looking for anything that was more me than the pulsing dark red of Eric. My mind slid over it repeatedly searching for anything different. It felt stronger, but nothing else seemed different about it.

I cracked an eye and looked at Claudine.

"I'm sorry. I wish I was better at this, but I can't find it."

"Don't be sorry, Sookie. It takes time, even with full Fae. Seriously, it does," she continued as she saw the doubt on my face. "And we are taught all about our spark from birth. You're just learning now, and it's all so new. Don't be disappointed. It will come."

I sighed. Logically, I knew she was right, but I still felt like I was flunking Fairy 101.

"I promise I will keep trying, Claudine. I'll have all day tomorrow to practise by myself while the vamps are in their dayrest." I refused to say dead for the day. It seemed so wrong. "I want to learn, I really do. Y'all are putting your very lives at stake for me. I feel so damned helpless and if anything should ever happen…" my words trailed off as I thought of the consequences of someone dying in my name. My body clenched as a cold chill shuddered through me. "I just want to be able to stand up for myself, Claudine."

"Oh, Sookie, don't put so much stress upon yourself. Magic is at its best when you are relaxed and focused. You have to push past the fear and the worry and trust in yourself. Trust in us to protect you. We are all seasoned warriors, sweetie. You will find what powers you, and when you harness that power, you'll have the strength you seek."

I thought about her words and came to the reluctant conclusion she was right. The only thing I can do is to keep trying to find the spark I'm supposed to have and when I do – that's right. When. Not if. – I will devote myself entirely to training and controlling the blasted thing. I could at least even the playing field slightly.

The sun was falling towards the horizon and I knew I had to leave. I assured Claudine I would take her advice and keep trying. We parted after making plans for the day after we were due home. I hurried through the house, rinsing our glasses and grabbing my purse and keys. In just a couple of minutes, I was hitting the highway on my way to Shreveport, even as my attention remained on my conversation with Claudine.

My tie with Eric pulsed to life about twenty minutes into the ride and I felt the difference immediately. Before our second exchange, I would only have felt him this clearly if he were physically near me. I was still twenty minutes outside Shreveport. I concentrated on him as best I could while still paying attention to the road. It was different, stronger. It felt deeper, more rooted, in a sense. I tried to focus on our bond and quickly realized it was easier to find every time I looked for it. I was easily able to grasp it and follow it to the source. Again, I tried to absorb as much of Eric as I could, looking only for what remained of me in our tie.

Our connection flared as I poked and prodded it and I felt a wave of shock and intense curiosity coming from Eric. Oops! I guess he can feel it when I manipulate the bond that way. Good to know. I pulled back as much as I could and laughed as I felt his curiosity increase.

Pulling into Fangtasia's parking lot, I sheepishly parked my old clunker next to Eric's Corvette. I was proud of my old beater, even if I could admit it had seen better days. It was the first car I ever bought myself, and still the only thing I could afford to drive, but I could see how it must look. Perhaps I'd be able to buy something better soon.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car. I was feeling a little like a lamb to slaughter, but I firmed my resolve and started walking toward the employee door. The steel door flung open before I made it there and the doorway filled up with 6' 5" of glorious Viking vampire. His shoulders filled the available space as he stood there staring at me. His face wore his normal impassive expression, but I could see the tension around his eyes. Waves of curiosity and concern swell through our shared blood.

"Eric?" I called out to him as my steps faltered. I didn't know what to expect seeing him after last night, but this wasn't it. "Is everything alright? You're scaring me a little."

He moved faster than I could track, stopping abruptly just inches from me. His eyes scanned my body before coming to rest on mine. I could feel them boring into me, like he was searching for something.

"Why did you call me? How did you call me?" His words made no sense to me and I told him so.

"I never called you, Eric."

"Oh, but you did, lover. I felt your call as certainly as I have felt my maker's call. You called me through our blood bond, Sookie."

I stared at him, my mouth agape.

"Oh, crap!"

* * *

><p><em>Sorry for the delay in getting this to you, but it's been a busy week. Next chapter will be up in a few days.<em>

_Are you all ready to take a trip to New Orleans? Wonder what's going to happen with dear old Billy boy? Y'all haven't forgotten about him, have you?_


	30. Night in the Big Easy

All characters are the property of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. Sadly, I own nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Eric's POV<strong>

I watched Sookie with amusement as she tried to discretely take in the grand scale of Queen Sophie-Ann LeClerq's royal estate. Her face betrayed little of the duelling amusement and disdain in her blood. I couldn't blame her. Our Queen was known for her exorbitant spending and flamboyantly garish taste. Everything was gilded in gold, draped in satin and cluttered with as many expensive trinkets as Sophie-Ann could cram into the available space. The walls were covered in second-rate art, much of it purchased for premium prices as the Queen collected works from a bizarre array of unknown and known painters and artists.

A faint blush rose on Sookie's cheeks when her eyes finally fell to the wall covered in Sophie-Ann's collection of nudes and erotic imagery. An unusual mix of horror, shame and curiosity flooded across our tie and I couldn't help but stare at her with barely disguised hunger in my eyes. Her innocence calls to the beast within me, forcing me into a constant struggle against my baser instincts as she beckons the monster forth with every beat of her heart.

She deserves far, far better.

For her, I want to be more than a beast. She is perfection. The pleasure she'd given me was incomparable in my thousand year history. The beauty of her unabashedly basking in our shared pleasure is a sight I won't soon forget. The dangerously erotic dichotomy between her innocence and her natural sensuality rocked me to my core. It took all of my considerable control to give her the tender experience she deserved for her first time, but I can't say that control was anywhere in sight as I continued to ravage her deep into the night. Despite said innocence and inexperience, my little fairy kept up with me, giving as much as she could. I'm sure my blood revitalized her body, giving her the energy to continue, but it was her heart and her soul driving the magic of the night.

It was my first taste of what I imagined happiness to be. I want more.

The sex had been phenomenal, yes. Without a doubt, it was one of the best experiences of my life and without delving too deeply into it, I believe the difference lies in our blood magic and the fact I actually give a fuck about her. Other than Godric and Pam, I've never fucked anyone I've had any type of emotional connection with and I can't put them in the same category as Sookie. All the others were just bodies in the night, there for fucking and feeding.

I can't discount the effect of our bond, either, especially as it expanded so dramatically after our second exchange. The magic we share allowed for me to feel her pleasure and desire alongside my own, waves of lust and carnal desire battering each of us as our emotions rampaged through the bond. The bond might have amplified the need we felt for each other, but it was the pure, energizing light that rose from Sookie pushing us over the edge, drowning us in sensation as we fucked deep into the night.

I have never been so captivated by a woman, so willing to turn my life upside down to find a place for her beside me. I should be more cautious. I should keep a distance between us. I should not forget the brutal lessons of my past so easily. There's something about her, something more than her beauty and body; more than her fairy blood and magnificent scent. There's an undefinable something there that makes me want to wrap myself around her all the fucking time. I want to bite her and fuck her and rub myself all over every fucking inch of her body. But I find also want to talk to her, to hear her soft, lilting voice tell me about her life.

Her emerging powers should give me pause, but instead I find I'm eager for her to develop any defensive abilities she may have. I don't fear her as I should, I'm not wary of her turning on me as I should be. The way she can manipulate our blood tie should make me want to kill her, but yet, I find an unfamiliar sense of relief in knowing she can call me to her side so easily.

I rose for evening to the delightful sensations of Sookie's touch, her soft, warm fingers stroking me from head to toe, only to quickly realize I was as alone as when I went to my dayrest. It took me a moment to realize she was playing with her end of our newly strengthened bond. The sensations she evoked in my body just through our tie, fuck, it was un-fucking believable. With only two exchanges behind us, the blood magic we shared was strong and powerful. She had power over me, but oddly, it's not a power I find objectionable.

The very fact I don't mind it is fucking objectionable enough. I survived this long because I submit to none save Godric.

Godric himself instilled in me the belief that we could truly trust only each other. My maker taught me to make many friends and to amass many favors, but never fully trust another. His teachings served me well through the years. At a thousand - give or take a few decades, I'm still unsure of my exact age – I am considered an elder, but not an ancient like Godric or the Ancient Pythoness. Few make it as long as they have, most don't make it through the first century or so, and even fewer see five hundred.

Those of us who reach this esteemed age don't make it because we trust others with our fates. The level of trust I am placing on her slender shoulders is unprecedented. Never have I trusted another so blindly. My trust didn't as much as quiver tonight when I felt her control over me manifest in a most curious fashion.

Sookie's gentle manipulations of our blood bond deepened, her soft caresses turning into insistent pulls. I could feel her probing deeper into our tie than ever before. Before long, her seemingly innocent exploration of the connection we forged became insistent, and I fought down the urge to go to her. It almost felt as it did when Godric would call me through the bond. Even Pam, my own progeny, can't call me in that exact way.

When she finally reached Fangtasia, she explained how she was trying to isolate each of us in the bond, trying to figure out what was me and what was her. She was as shocked as I at how powerful her call became.

"Claudine came to visit right before I left and she was trying to teach me how to find my spark. I wasn't having any luck, so she thought it might be worth looking at our bond. She thought maybe where my spark only started coming to life after we started to bond that maybe if I followed our blood tie, I would be able to find the darned thing, but that didn't work, either."

She stopped speaking and looked at me from underneath her full eyelashes. The barest hint of a blush was playing along her cheekbones. I waited patiently for her to continue.

"When I felt you wake, I realized how much clearer I could feel you. I didn't think you would be able to feel me doing it, but what I thought I was doing was pulling you deeper into me, so all that would be left was me. And, you know, maybe that damned spark." She laughed a little, but her eyes shifted from me and she almost looked embarrassed to have been caught exploring the magic of the bond.

"I don't mind, Sookie. It's unexpected for you to have this level of control over the bond, but I find it reassuring you can call me so easily." The bond wasn't yet complete and I knew I would be able to track her anywhere. I could only look at it as a bonus, one more way to ensure she fucking survives this time.

I tried experimenting with the bond, following her instructions, but managed almost nothing in comparison to how it felt when she manipulated the bond between us. She could feel me clearly, but said my attempts to call her only made her feel something close to anticipation.

"Eric! Will you give it up already? You're making me antsy and I'm trying to listen to Pam." She scolded me. We were enroute to New Orleans and my child was filling Sookie in on the details of Sophie-Ann's court. I stopped my experimenting and began focusing on the possibilities of our tie. I wasn't surprised she was so adept at controlling the bond. With her telepathy and the shields she used in her mind to control the telepathy, her brain was already wired differently. Her mental pathways were unique, and her latent magic apparently powerful.

I shook off my thoughts as Siegbert and Wybert, the Queen's monstrously fucking huge twin children / bodyguards, appeared to escort us to the Queen's dayroom. I restrained myself from smiling as I thought of Sookie's reaction to this display of grandiose expenditure. It was said Sophie-Ann had spent in excess of ten million dollars to achieve her dream room. She'd installed a fucking swimming pool, of all fucking things, and decorated the room to resemble a poolside cabana. The entire was room specially designed around her "daylight ceiling", an exceedingly brightly lit ceiling that was supposed to mimic sunshine.

All it did for me was hurt my fucking eyes.

I wasn't disappointed when I heard the sharp intake of breath that was Sookie's only evident reaction. I wanted to laugh out loud. It was ridiculous how light-hearted she made me feel, even as we walked straight into the yawning jaw of danger.

As expected, we were left waiting yet again for Sophie-Ann to grace us with our presence. The three of us sat silently, not even acknowledging each other as we cooled our heels. Pam had thoroughly briefed Sookie on all the etiquette and rules we would be following while in the Queen's residence while I explained the constant surveillance, both audio and video, and the need for us to remain completely circumspect at all times. She sat by my side silently but proudly, sitting demurely with her legs crossed at her delicate ankles. The silence didn't seem to bother her in the least. Her wide eyes continued to move about the room, taking in all the grandeur paid for by the vampires of Louisiana and more than a couple of glamoured human salespeople. I was grateful the room had been cleared for our meeting. It was usually filled to capacity with Sophie-Ann's donor pool. I don't think Sookie would have approved of the behaviour common when the pool room was open, no matter how deep her sensuality ran.

"Your Majesty." I stand and bow deeply as my Queen entered the room. The look on her face does not bode well for our plight, nor do the drops of blood still clinging to the corners of her lips. It looks like we have interrupted her play time, and the petulant bitch is in a fucking mood.

"Ever heard of making an appointment, Sheriff?" The Queen's sulky voice rang through the room, echoing off the marble walls and floors. She wasn't amused by our unannounced appearance.

Just fucking great. So much for catching her on a good night. I didn't need to look at Pam to know her eyes rolled back into her skull.

"Forgive our untimely interruption, Your Majesty." I lowered my head in a show of deference I didn't feel. Sophie-Ann was inferior to me on every level that mattered. I've had centuries of experience kissing far better vampire ass than hers, serving Old World vampire royalty and navigating the complexities of European courts. Most American monarchs, Sophie-Ann being a shining example, wouldn't stand a chance in those very courts.

"Just get on with it." She waved her hand like the petulant teenager she appeared to be. "What do you want, Northman?"

The plan was to play dumb and pretend we had no idea she was interested in Sookie. Compton would claim we knew, but I'd deal with that later. It was his word against ours, after all. It wasn't much of a plan, but Sookie had argued simplicity was best. Perhaps she was right.

"I've recently added a unique asset to my retinue. After careful consideration, she's agreed to offer her services to Louisiana on a contract basis, should you be interested."

"Well? What does she do and why should I give a flying fuck?" God, she really was insufferable when she's moody. Sookie's smiled grew wider and I could sense the irritation in her blood.

I drew her forward from her position just slightly behind me. I could feel her tension, but the streak of determination running through her made me proud. She would play her part well.

"This is Sookie Stackhouse, Your Majesty." That got her attention. "Miss Stackhouse is a telepath."

"What game are you trying to play, Sheriff Northman?" Sophie-Ann's eyes narrowed as she leveled a cold glare in my direction.

"No games, I assure your Majesty. Ms. Stackhouse is indeed a telepath." I knew what she meant, but I had to play dumb.

"Tell me how you know Ms. Stackhouse." The Queen glared at me through narrowed eyes and her anger was plain to see. She doesn't much care for being denied or bested in any form which is why she rarely leaves the confines of her palace. Everyone within these walls is meant to cater to her every whim and here I am flaunting my ownership of the new toy she coveted.

"She works as a waitress in a bar owned by a local shifter. I met her there and she has since agreed to become part of my retinue."

Sophie-Ann kept her narrowed eyes trained on my face for long moments before sliding her gaze towards Sookie. She remained uncharacteristically silent as she stared at Sookie. I couldn't hazard a guess as to her thoughts.

Sookie, however, was an open book to me. Our second blood exchange strengthened the tie between us to unthought-of proportions. I could feel her emotions flowing through our blood tie and I was able to discern the differences between her feelings much clearer. I'm not sure that's a result of the stronger bond, or a product of me getting to know the enchanting fairy a little better. Either way, I was easily able to feel her confidence and determination, even as tinged in fear as they were.

"How long ago did you two meet?" I made to answer the question, but was silenced with a withering look from the Queen. She turned her attention to Sookie, who answered with a sweet smile and a small laugh.

"About six weeks ago, ma'am." Well before Compton returned to his ancestral home to "mainstream".

"Is Northman the first vampire you met?"

"Yes, ma'am. Although I've met a few since, Eric was the first vampire I knew." She really was adorable, looking so totally prim and proper. She was addressing the Queen with all the deference I'm sure she shows the old church ladies. Only I knew the fire that burned just beneath the surface. Only I could see the golden glow my fairy was bathed in.

I don't know why we're the only ones to see each other's enhanced luminosity. No one else had remarked on our changed appearance, so I must assume it is somehow related to our blood exchanges. Like the blood tie itself, it was only apparent to us. I'd never heard of such a phenomenon, but nothing about my situation with Sookie was exactly normal. I suspected her spark was responsible in some way.

I swore a string of ancient curses in my head as the Queen's youngest child joined us. He looked tidier than she had, but fresh aromas of blood and sex were emanating from him. I wasn't pleased to see him. Andre, despite looking every inch the teenager Sophie-Ann appeared to be, was one sick motherfucker. I had hoped to avoid exposing Sookie to him.

I watched as three of her four children gathered behind Sophie-Ann. It was mainly posturing, but I was also aware of their absolute loyalty to her. Every one of them would follow her command without question or hesitation.

"Can you read vampire minds?" Sophie-Ann's question jolted me from my thoughts. Every vampire in the room had their eyes trained on my fairy. Sookie's reply was immediate and adamant.

"No. I can tell you're a vampire, but that's it. Vampires are voids to me." Her voice was strong and clear.

"How can you expect us to take your word for this?" The angry words came from Andre, and my gut tightened instinctively. I didn't like the gaze he had leveled on my lover.

"All I have for proof is my word." Sookie's head remained high and her words steady and calm. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal, but she was holding up remarkably well under the strain.

"Then I guess we will have to take your word for it, then, won't we?" The Queen spoke in a merry voice, directing her words to Sookie, but the glare she gave Andre was fierce. Interesting.

"That's not good enough." Andre, surprisingly enough, continued to argue with his maker and monarch. I could see his nose twitching as he tried to scent Sookie in the air.

"It is good enough for me!" Sophie's fist slammed down onto the arm of her chair. The resounding crack was enough to make Andre realize his place. He stepped back again, looking somewhat abashed. His eyes, however, stayed trained directly on Sookie.

"Who knows of your gift?" A ripple of derision slithered through Sookie as Sophie-Ann spoke. It was as clear as if she spoke the words into my ear. She didn't consider it a gift.

"I've only explained it and confirmed it to a couple of people ever, but everybody in my home town knows something's not right with me. They might not understand what it is, but they know I'm different."

Sookie's voice remained steady and her face impassive, but the pain behind her words stabbed at me. _Something's not right with me_. I could only imagine how the ignorant rednecks of Bon Temps would treat anything they regarded as 'different'. My respect for her grew steadily.

"How did the Sheriff learn of your abilities?" Sophie-Ann cut to the chase. She only cared for knowing whether I'd stolen her prize.

"I heard some things one night at Fangtasia," she tapped her temple to indicate just how she'd heard, "and thought Eric and Pam might be in danger. I told him what I heard and how I was able to hear it." She maintained her calm and steady delivery even as she condensed a long, emotional night into a couple of sentences.

The Queen shot her gaze to me and I nodded in response to her unasked question.

"Fellowship, Your Majesty. Apprehended thanks to Ms. Stackhouse."

Sophie-Ann turned her attention back to Sookie. She said nothing for a couple of long moments, only stared at my lover. I was uneasy, but feeling better about this meeting than I had been. As annoyed as she was, she didn't seem in a fighting mood.

"I can smell the Northman all over you."

Sookie jolted a little at Sophie's bald comment, and I felt her tension ratchet up a notch. I tried to push as much reassurance to her as I could to her.

"That's because I am his." Sookie's words rang through the room. Her pride was evident in both her voice and in the determined thrust of her chin. I wanted to throw her down and fuck her into tomorrow.

"Sheriff?" Sophie-Ann questioned me with a raised brow. It was now or never.

"She is mine. She carries my blood." I kept my tone even, but my intentions were evident. If they couldn't hear it in my voice, or see it in my eyes, the rumbling growl in my chest told the tale. I was not letting her go.

"Very clever, Northman, moving so quickly to bond such an asset." She sounded pleasant enough, but I could feel the venom in her gaze. She probably had intended to tie Sookie herself, or worse still, let Andre do it. She turned her attention back to Sookie. "Are you happy with the Sheriff?"

"Yes, ma'am. He makes me very happy." Sookie spoke softly, but any fool could hear the truth behind her words. She was positively beaming as she chanced a glance in my direction.

"You're willing to work for me, here in New Orleans?"

"Within reason, yes I am. My lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, has drawn up a contract for you. The contract stipulates all of my working conditions. Both Sheriff Northman and Mr. Cataliades assure me my terms are reasonable. If you have any concerns, I'm sure we can address them on a case by case basis."

She was truly amazing. Fucking amazing. You'd never know this girl's only life experience came from serving burgers and beers in a sleepy backwater bar and grill. She held herself proudly, head high, as she calmly negotiated with a vampire Queen.

Most humans had to be glamoured to some degree in order to be calm enough to fucking converse.

"I think it would be best to relocate her to New Orleans." I stiffened in response and took an instinctive step to put myself slightly in front of Sookie. A low growl rumbled through my chest and I had to fight to keep my fangs from descending.

"Christ, relax a little, will you, Sheriff! Don't forget your place!" My Queen scolding me wasn't enough to make me relax, but the feel of Sookie in my blood held me back for the moment.

"No, ma'am. I like my life as it is." Sookie was firm as she denied the Queen.

Sophie-Ann turned her glacial gaze on Sookie. "Did you think I was speaking to you?"

I stepped in before Sookie could respond. I could feel her anger and fear starting to spike, and I wanted to defuse the situation before she erupted.

"Miss Stackhouse will remain in Area Five."

"Be reasonable, Sheriff. Her talent is wasted there. I could make full use of her here."

"I must decline, Your Majesty. Miss Stackhouse had no desire to relocate."

Sophie-Ann glared at me for a minute. There was nothing she could do, and she knew it. With my blood in her body, Sookie was mine to do with as I saw fit. As my Queen, there were many things she could ask of me, but not this.

"Tell me, do you have any family?" Her attention suddenly shifted back to Sookie and I was suspicious of her motives.

"Not much. It's just me and my brother now." Sookie's brow furrowed at the line of questioning, but she answered politely.

"Are you close with him?"

"Not as close as I'd like to be, maybe, but he's my brother and I love him to death."

"Would it surprise you to know that I have heard of you before?"

"Yes, ma'am, it very much would."

"Why is that?"

"You're a vampire Queen in New Orleans; I'm a waitress from Bon Temps. I can't fathom a connection." Sookie sounded puzzled, like she was hearing this for the first time. Kudos for her acting abilities.

"I understand Bill Compton has taken up residence in your town? Perhaps you've made his acquaintance."

Damn the bitch! I stepped in to answer before Sookie did. I could feel the discomfort, and even hints of revulsion running through her. I'd be damned if I'd put her through answering questions about the devious prick.

"Bill Compton is part of the reason we are here, Your Majesty." I gritted the words out, trying to keep rein on my temper. "He moved into my Area without notice and failed to register with my office. He's stalked Sookie for weeks, even though she repeatedly refused his advances. She informed me of the situation, but before I could act, he managed to drug her and kidnap her from Fangtasia. It is a blood offense, and I demand retribution."

"Good try, Northman, but not quite there, are you?" Sophie-Ann smirked at me like the obnoxious teenage brat she was. My hands itched to slap the smirk from her face, but I settled for the fantasy instead. "We can all smell you in her and her all over you. But I don't believe you have completed a bond with her, have you?"

"Irrelevant. He knew she was my claimed human. My blood was in her, and she'd been in my arms just minutes before." I was seething with anger, but a part of me wanted to smile at the memory of our animalistic encounter in my office.

"Your claim on Ms. Stackhouse is acknowledged, Sheriff Northman. But I cannot allow you to seek retribution against Bill Compton." She held up a hand in what I'm sure she thought was a royal gesture. "Mr. Compton is an asset of mine, Sheriff, and I can't allow his final death."

"Unacceptable, Your Majesty. Compton came to my establishment and drugged, kidnapped and assaulted my human. I am his Sheriff. Retribution is required here."

"I suppose we can find a satisfactory financial compensation for your troubles, as well as for Ms. Stackhouse. But Compton must not be harmed. He is valuable to me."

"I doubt Compton has the finances to make financial amends." I wanted the bastard dead and out of Sookie's life.

"Don't worry about the details, Sheriff. I can assure you Mr. Compton will very shortly have the means to pay any reparation you demand."

I don't want any of his fucking money. I had more than enough bloody money. I wanted him a pile of fucking ash under my boots. I gritted my teeth in anger. I hadn't truly thought she would order his final death, but her leniency is a red flag. She had her reasons for wanting him alive and I wasn't going to win this fight.

"I request my objection be noted, Your Majesty. And I cannot be held responsible for his life should he make any further attempt to contact Ms. Stackhouse."

"I will make the situation clear to Mr. Compton, but I must admit I may be partially to blame for his over-zealous behaviour."

I stared at her in disbelief. I wasn't sure she would admit her part in all this at all as long as she believed I didn't know of her involvement. Her confession was unexpected, but it was her tone that set my nerves on edge.

"You, ma'am? How can you be blamed?" Sookie's sweet Southern accent put a sweet twist on the words, even as I could sense the anger build within her.

"Mr. Compton has served me for a number of years here in New Orleans, but he requested leave to re-establish himself in his ancestral home. The project he is working on for me is time-consuming, and Mr. Compton felt he might get more accomplished away from the distractions of New Orleans."

"I don't see the correlation." I wanted her to cut to the chase and explain what the fuck she wanted with Sookie.

"I asked Mr. Compton to look up Ms. Stackhouse and ascertain her attitude towards vampires. If she had a favorable outlook, I requested he bring her to New Orleans to meet me."

"Why? What did you know of her?" I growled the words out, uncaring in that moment that I was treading very close to insubordination.

"You have met my human companion, yes? She and your human are family and my Hadley was hopeful she could re-establish ties with her family. Compton was asked to test the waters, so to speak. Nobody was to be harmed, certainly not drugged and kidnapped. Hadley and I both hoped she would look favorably upon vampires. Scaring her wouldn't accomplish that goal."

"Hadley?" Sookie sounded numb. This was not news to her, but not only did she sound like this was news, she felt somewhat shocked, as well.

"Hadley has been my companion for five years now, not long after you last saw her, I believe. She has made the decision to join me as my child."

The color drained from Sookie's face as simply stared at the Queen. She was quiet for a long moment, before a short, sharp burst of laughter came from her.

"I'm sorry, but you see, we all thought Hadley might be dead. To learn she is still alive, but soon to be undead is a bit of a shock." Sookie apologized sweetly.

My eyes narrowed as I watched my lover. She'd regained her composure quickly enough, but she was seething on the inside. I couldn't make any sense of what she was experiencing, every emotion she had swirled in vicious circles within her.

"Can I ask where Hadley is? I'd love to see her for myself and you say she's looking forward to seeing me…" Sookie let her words trail off, deliberately, I believed. I couldn't swear to it, but I was pretty sure my little Southern belle was attempting to sweetly manipulate a vampire Queen hundreds of years her senior.

"I'm afraid Hadley is away for a few days." The Queen actually leaned forward in her seat and smiled at Sookie in a girlishly conspiratorial way. "She's gone to a spa, actually. Now that's she's made the decision to turn, she wants to get in the best shape possible first." Sophie-Ann laughed again, and I would have almost sworn I heard some sincerity in her voice. "She told me that since she will be among the first generation of vampires to openly choose their turning, she had an obligation to look her best when she's turned. She says she won't go through eternity with people talking about her dry cuticles or split ends."

I saw the wide, unnatural smile come over Sookie's face and frowned a little. I knew this was the look she wore when overwhelmed and trying to cope. I felt for her in my blood again and was surprised to feel her more settled. I felt the steely determination emanating from her, as well as a wall of sadness she was trying to stay in front of.

"That would be Hadley, ma'am. She used to drive us all nuts waiting for her to be ready to go places. I swear she'd take forever to make sure everything was exactly right." Sookie continued to smile, but it was looking more strained by the minute. "Be sure to tell her I'm waiting to hear from her, won't you? Tell her we miss her and love her forever."

"If you lived here, you could have a closer relationship with your cousin, you know. Just something to think about." Sophie shifted her attention to me. "I'd like to avail of her services as soon as it can be arranged, Northman. Leave the contract with me and I will be in touch with you in a couple of nights. How many screenings can she do at one sitting?"

I could feel Sookie's indignation at Sophie-Ann's abrupt dismissal, but it wasn't to be helped. I could only hope she held it together just a little longer.

"No more than four consecutive hours for general human employee screenings. Far less for more unpleasant interrogations. Ms. Stackhouse requires at least a one week notice period, but I would appreciate as much notice as possible. Either myself or my progeny will accompany Ms. Stackhouse for every assignment."

"I could use her talents at least once a week, Northman. Do you understand why I want her here?"

"I do, but I respectfully decline. She is my human and I'm not interested in giving her up. She carries my blood and I plan on completing the bond."

Sophie-Ann looked shocked by this news. "Are you planning on turning her?"

"No."

"Then why bond to her?"

"As you said, she is a valuable asset." I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't plan on losing her."

Sookie's emotions were rioting through our bond and I tried to send as much reassurance and comfort to her as I could muster, cursing the fact I couldn't control the bond better yet. Knowing she was going to hear herself spoken of like an object rather than a person was one thing. Actually hearing it was another, I suppose.

"I can tell she's got a lot of your blood in her system, Northman. Doesn't she heel well?" I suppose I couldn't blame her for searching for a better reason why I would bond myself permanently. There are not many vampires who would, not just to secure an asset. Being fully bonded to a human is not an appetizing choice to most of my kind.

"She heels nicely. Compton's attack, however, made me realize she might always be a target, given how desirable and useful her talent is. I prefer not to take chances."

"It's your life, Northman." Sophie appeared bemused by my decision and reasoning, but I didn't give a flying fuck. The only thing that mattered was if she understood Sookie was off fucking limits.

* * *

><p><strong>Sookie's POV<strong>

A commotion was heard in the great hall just outside the completely flippin' ridiculous throne room we were in and all eyes in the room shifted to the door as it swung open to reveal Clancy and Thalia holding a struggling Bill Compton between them. Indira brought up the rear, using one hand between his shoulder blades to help propel him forward. His wrists were bound before him in silver handcuffs and the stomach-churning scent of burning flesh preceded him into the room. Looking closely, I could see it was his fault for struggling so much. His shirt sleeves were down and buttoned at the wrist. If he held still, the cuffs would sit comfortably outside and away from his skin.

"Let me go!" Bill hissed at his captors from between clenched teeth. His fangs were down and pressed threateningly along the outside of his bottom lip. "Get your fucking hands off me."

"Silence!" Sophie-Ann's voice boomed out and Bill stopped his struggles. "What is the meaning of this, Sheriff?"

Eric looked grim as he regarded the vampire who'd abducted me and planned so much darker things for me. I felt his anger bubble up, even through the tight control he'd kept on our tie all evening. He was as pissed off as I was when the Queen denied his request for retribution. I was a God-fearing Christian girl who was raised right with Christian morals and a hospitable Southern manner, but even I knew Bill Compton was dangerous enough to warrant killing him. I shuddered as I recalled the crazed way he spoke to me that night, the wildly unjustified possessiveness in his manner and in how he touched me.

"As I explained, Compton abducted my human. He drugged her and physically, mentally and sexually abused her. All of this is in addition to the fact that Mr. Compton was unannounced in my Area and never checked in with his Sheriff."

Eric kept his voice utterly calm and his tone was rather detached. If I couldn't feel the reassurance and comfort he pushed at me through his blood, I would have been sickened by his attitude. It was just as if he were saying 'Compton broke into my bar and stole from me. He also broke things and made a mess.' I know he was playing a role, but I hadn't counted on him being so believable.

"Why wasn't I informed of this?"

Eric's massive shoulders shifted up and down in an elegant move. "I've been busy. I had to come to New Orleans anyway, so I saved time and brought him with me. I would like to re-iterate my request for retribution."

"If he's been in your custody, I'm quite sure you've already gotten your pound of flesh, Sheriff." The Queen's tone was dry, as was the dramatic eye-roll accompanying it. I was still amazed at how youthful the Queen appeared and wondered how difficult it must be to establish such power when you look like a child.

"Release him." The Queen waved her hand at Eric's vampires and to their credit, they looked to Eric for guidance before doing her bidding. At his almost imperceptible nod, Clancy and Thalia let go of his arms and Felicia gave him a sharp push. Suddenly off balance, the cuffed vampire fell to his knees before quickly righting himself. He leveled a venomous stare at his former captors before giving the Queen an ass-kissing smile.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I knew you'd understand a mistake has been made here." His ingratiating manner made me furious. The very sight of him made me furious.

"Don't count your chickens yet, Bill. I'm not convinced the Sheriff and his human are lying." Color me surprised, but I wondered what her angle was. I knew she didn't care what had happened to me. That was abundantly clear, but here she was, playing at giving us the upper hand. "Now shut up."

"I request formal compensation. I will accept six months of his earnings, and he must vacate Area Five. I will not have him in such close quarters with my asset. She is too unique to waste and if she's stressed from dealing with his advances, she will not be able to perform to expectations."

Ah, yes, must keep the telepath happy. A happy telepath is a working telepath. Nice approach, even if his detached manner left much to be desired.

I knew my emotions were rubbed raw from the entire evening, heck, the entire month, if truth be told, but I was really reaching my breaking point. Seeing the scumbag who planned on raping me, after drugging and kidnapping me, was almost too much.

"What?" The dark-haired vampire sputtered the word, trying to look surprised and innocent. "What the hell are you talking about? I did nothing to her, your majesty, I swear it. I approached her like you asked," he shot a triumphant glace at Eric before continuing, "And the next thing I knew, he had his bitch capture me and hold me without cause."

"As the bitch in question, I can assure you he is lying." Pam's interjection was as dry and bored as October grass. "I followed him when he left Fangtasia and managed to run his car off the road. I took him into custody and delivered him and the girl back to my master."

"You lying cunt!" Bill screamed at Pam, the tendons in his neck bulging out above his shirt collar. His exposed fangs looked terrifying. "She's lying for him, I'm telling you! He's afraid she might prefer me, and he's trying to get rid of me. I refuse to leave Bon Temps."

"I would never prefer you, you sick bastard! You attacked me and you deserve everything you get!" I couldn't stop the words as they spilled past my lips. He was sick. He sounded just as sickly sure of himself as he had that night in the car. With perfect clarity, I knew he would never leave me alone. "I will never let you near me again, do you hear me? If you don't leave Bon Temps, I will!"

My chest was heaving and I'm sure I must look like a mad woman, but I didn't give a damn. He attacked me, and he should pay for it. I could feel the rage coiling inside me and an exhilarating energy running through my veins that I attributed to adrenaline and the resulting endorphin rush.

"You can't stop me, you stupid bitch!" My vampire neighbour snarled the words at me through his extended fangs. Spittle foamed in the corners of his mouth. He looked deranged, like Jack Nicholas in The Shining, but with fangs.

"Careful, Compton, that is my human you are insulting." Eric's voice calmly entered the conversation. Unlike me, barely containing my rage, Eric sounded cool as a cucumber.

"You promised me I could have the girl if I brought her here! She was supposed to be mine!" Bill shouted the words at his Queen, his voice cracked and deranged. The smarmy southern accent he usually affected disappeared under his anger.

"No, I don't think I did." Sophie-Ann made a pretense of wrinkling her forehead in thought, but it was just a show for my benefit. With their perfect recall, vampire' don't tend to forget conversations.

"You said she would be mine if I got her here! You promised!" Bill's voice rose an octave as he pleaded with his Queen. I took a small step closer to Eric.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, Bill! Don't you fucking get it? Whatever I may or may not have said is entirely moot now, isn't it? The Sheriff has claimed the human and neither are willing to relinquish the claim!" Sophie-Ann spat at the restrained lunatic, her tone inviting no argument.

The Queen's snarly tone told me all I needed to know. She did promise me to that despicable excuse for a vampire. I couldn't help the chill that raced down my spine and all I wanted was for Eric to hold me. Instead, I reached internally to find a piece of Eric to hold onto. I latched onto our blood tie with an automatic ease. Feeling for him was becoming as natural as breathing. Mindful of how he felt my exploration earlier, I grasped hold of the bond lightly, wrapping myself along the pulsating cord that was Eric. I stayed light as a feather, holding him for comfort and strength. In spite of my light touch, I knew the moment he registered my presence. The fractional widening of his eyes was his only physical tell, but the blood tie told a different story as it glowed brighter in my head. I could feel him attempting to duplicate my movements, his blood reaching and stretching towards mine. It was the comfort I needed.

I shook off the bond induced stupor I was falling into and focused on the debacle unfolding in front of us. So far, I had felt as if we might be in the clear. I still hoped I'd be returning to Bon Temps, but I wasn't going anywhere near Bill Compton ever again.

"You are his Queen! Order him to release her!" He was sounding more desperate by the minute.

"And Northman is a thousand year old Sheriff! He has established his claim and you are too fucking late!"

"So kill him!"

No! No, no, no!

The rage and protectiveness ripped me apart without warning, exploding outward from my very core. I couldn't see past the anger that welled inside me. Kill Eric? Not on my life!

I stepped forward in a blur, moving faster than I'm sure any average human had the right to. Fueled by rage, fear and an almost primal need to protect my mate, I was in front of Bill Compton in the blink of an eye.

Eric's worry flooded through my blood, but I was past caring for my safety. This little worm wouldn't stop until he had me, and if it took Eric dying to accomplish that, he wouldn't hesitate to kill. I could see his true intentions in his muddy brown eyes.

My heart hammered against my ribs, but I felt oddly calm and controlled. I should have been pee in my pants terrified, but I felt awash in power. I could feel the blood magic pulsing through my veins, positively throbbing with energy and light.

I raised my hand and slapped my open palm across his face with all the strength I had. It hurt like a bitch, but I felt so much better seeing the mark it left on his face. It faded quickly, but I took savage pride in it while it lasted.

"Kill him and I will kill you. Just even try to kill him, and I will kill you." I spat the words into his face, the anger inside me building to epic proportions.

"Sheriff, I think now would be a good time to demonstrate how well your human heels." The Queen's voice cut through the red haze of my anger, and I spun on my heels, suddenly ashamed at how vicious I must have appeared. Still, I couldn't find it in me too care too deeply. He had hit me far harder than that.

Without waiting for any demeaning command from Eric, I swiftly moved back to his side and slipped back into my deferential human mode. The swift swell of gratitude through our blood tie told me Eric was relieved not to have to command me.

"You cannot mean to allow this, your Majesty! Northman allowed his human" he spat the word at me, "to assault me! I won't stand for this!"

"The hand print he left in the side of my human's face would suggest he hit her with far more force." I glanced at him in surprise. I wasn't sure he would be able to defend me in this case, and I was pleased he was using the same justification I had. "But never fear, I shall endeavor to keep my human from harming Mr. Compton again. In the meantime, I might suggest he refrain from threatening my life."

I tried to decipher some of what Eric allowed through the bond. I might have the upper hand in manipulating our bond, but he has the control end all wrapped up. All I could get was an odd sense of pride mixed with the simmering anger I felt all evening. I knew he was pissed off with the Queen and Bill, but was he mad at me, too? All the lessons he and Pam drilled into me, all gone in a fit of temper. I wouldn't blame him if he was mad. Either way, I felt guilty enough to decide to forgive him for calling me 'human' so many times.

"I did nothing to her she didn't ask for." Bill sneered at Eric, trying to provoke a response.

"I highly doubt that. In my experience, she doesn't care for being beaten and mauled."

Eric's tone was mild, but I had to hold in a gasp. His phrasing left it open for interpretation whether or not he had beaten or mauled me, only that I didn't care for it. He warned me I wouldn't like some of what he said in front of other vampires and was he ever right.

"Jesus Christ!" The Queen's exasperated voice rang out through the room. All eyes turned back to her. The petite vampire glared at Eric and Bill while smoothing her silk blouse. I couldn't help but think again her teenage roots were showing. Just like any teenage girl, she didn't like being ignored, especially not on her turf. "Enough! Have your petty squabbles on your own time. As fun as this is, I have other matters to attend to tonight and I'm just growing bored with this."

"These are not petty arguments. I am being wrongly accused and unjustly punished here." Bill's entire demeanor changed and he turned into a grovelling, sniveling fool. "I only did as you asked and nothing more. You said I could have her if I got her here. I ask you uphold our agreement."

Sophie-Ann continued to glare at Eric and Bill, ignoring everyone else in the room. You could tell she was incredibly angry, but she was acting like this was all nothing to her.

"Even if I ever said such a thing, your very argument is working against you. You did not bring her to me. Sheriff Northman did, as his bonded asset. As I see it, that makes her his, not yours."

Sophie-Ann looked smug as she made her pronouncement, her tone almost merry. She wasn't too happy to have lost out on my full-time services on demand, but she delighted in denying somebody else the right to me, as well.

"Bill Compton, I find you guilty as charged. Your next six months earnings are forfeit to Sheriff Northman. You are to pay an additional sum of $50,000 to Sheriff Northman for the damage to the human. You are to vacate Area Five in no less than one week. Furthermore, I order you to have no contact with Miss Stackhouse." She paused and looked to Eric who nodded his approval. Without command, the giant twin vampires stepped forward in perfect unison and dragged Bill towards the door, kicking and screaming all the way.

I retreated back into the bond and wrapped myself around Eric again. I had no desire to hear any of the deranged pleas for my attention coming from his mouth. I never wanted to see him, speak to him, or think of him again.

* * *

><p>Sorry for the delay in getting this out to you, but I've been working a little too much on another story. I won't be posting that one until it's done, but I promise this one won't suffer any more either.<p>

If I didn't reply to anyone who was kind enough to leave a message, I sincerely apologize. I treasure each and every review, and thank you all from the bottom of my heart. As always, feel free to ask any questions or point out any stupidity I've overlooked.

The next chapter brings Godric into the mix!


	31. Home Sweet Home

**_Yes, it's actually a new chapter. For everyone who thought this story dead in the water, you will be happy to know I've been writing like a mad woman, even if I haven't been posting anything. I have up to Chapter 55 written and the end is in sight for me. _**

**_I want to thank everyone for sticking with this story. I will be posting a chapter a week until I have the story completed, and then I'll bump up the timeline to two a week._**

**_Thanks again for reading. I'd really appreciate it if you'd take the time to leave a review and let me know what you think so far._**

**_As always, I do not own these characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball._**

* * *

><p>Home sweet home. Thank God.<p>

Bright, cheerful sunshine infiltrated the flimsy defenses of the lacy curtains and I smiled as I took in my dated furniture and wallpaper that had seen better days. I didn't care my bedspread was ten years old and my curtains might be even older. I was home and it was enough for me.

Safe and sound, I could finally admit how terrified I was in New Orléans. I know Eric would have done his best to protect me, but it still scares me how close Bill had been to delivering me to his Queen. I'm damned well smart enough to know my life wouldn't be my own had he succeeded. I shuddered as I thought of Andre. His eyes on me had made my skin crawl. I was also damned well smart enough to know my fate would be vastly different without Eric's protection.

Gloomy thoughts of what might have been shook free as I jumped out of bed. I stretched like a cat, twisting and turning my neck before heading into the bathroom. Even after a full night's rest, I was still a bit stiff from the long car rides the past few days, not to mention the lack of sleep in New Orleans

Adjusting the water temperature, I stepped under the steady stream and let the hot water work the kinks out of my neck and back. Bracing one arm against the tiles, I let my thoughts drift back to New Orleans as the water worked its magic.

Eric and I had just finished up another round of super-hot loving – he was a huge fan of the little black set from Pam, for the whole two minutes it lasted – and we were lying all tangled together in the sheets. My head rested on his chest while his fingers rubbed my scalp and combed gently through my hair.

"I won't ever really be safe again, will I?" My whispered question broke the long silence between us. I hated having to voice my worries at all but I needed to hear it from Eric.

"No."

He didn't elaborate but the growly rumble in his chest spoke volumes, as did the spike of worry and possessiveness in his blood.

"Do you think she will try to come after me?"

He didn't answer for a moment and when he did, I knew he was measuring his words carefully.

"I will protect you and ensure that no harm comes to you. But yes, there is a chance Sophie-Ann will try to take you. It is also reasonable to suspect that word of your gift will eventually spread and others will present different threats." He leaned in for a reassuring kiss. "At the moment, there is no direct threat to your safety. You can continue your life as you wish. I don't want you to live your life in fear. There may come a time when we might have to consider adding some security, but we'll worry about that later."

I kinda thought a security system or a dog was a stupid idea, and said as much to Eric, in a much kinder manner.

"I don't know what good a security system or a guard dog would be against supes," I shook my head doubtfully.

Eric had thrown back his head and laughed at my doubting expression.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a wolf, lover."

"A wolf? What the hell, Eric!" A dog was bad enough. What did he think I was going to do with a wolf?

"A werewolf, Sookie." He continued to grin at me. "They can protect you best during the day when your vampire guard must rest."

After an uncertain minute, when I finally realized he wasn't teasing me and was actually serious about surrounding me with supernatural guards, I put up quite a fight against the entire idea. I didn't even want to think about having to spend my life being watched. Before it got too heated, though, he'd craftily pointed out we were arguing about a hypothetical situation which may or not arise at some point in the future. I'd agreed to put it on the back burner until the time came, but I made it clear my opinions wouldn't likely change much. The most I would concede was if my life were directly threatened, I would allow him to make all security arrangements.

"That's all I ask." With a slight growl building in his chest, Eric tangled one deliciously big hand through my hair and brought me forward. His lips descended on mine and it was long minutes later before I could formulate any thought at all.

Stepping out of the shower, I shrugged off the memories of Eric and his abso-frickin-lutely fabulous lovemaking. His body was made for sex, and I could spend the next three hours thinking about all those ways he rocked my world, but I needed to get on with life. I had some important decisions to make; I couldn't afford to get side-tracked.

I hurried through getting dressed and ran downstairs. Putting a pot of coffee on to brew, I found the papers I was looking for and sat at the kitchen table to read them. I was only halfway through by the time the coffee was ready and I gratefully poured myself a cup. Reading the documents was proving to be more challenging than I anticipated, mostly due to my numbness and shock as I tried to comprehend the legal terms within.

A half an hour later found me no less shocked and confused, but ironically left me feeling better equipped to make the second big decision of the day. With a sense of otherworldly wonder, I quickly signed my name on the appropriate lines and stuffed the documents back into the envelope.

Draining the remains of my second cup of coffee, I dug my keys from my purse and set out to run some errands, including swinging by the post office to drop the envelope in the mail. I got through the supermarket quickly and held my shields as tightly as I could manage when I laid my twelve-pack of True Blood on the check-out. I didn't want to hear it.

Tara's Togs was next on my list. I needed to buy some suitable business attire for my new career. I spent a little time catching up with my best girlfriend. We even made some plans for the three of us - Lafayette included, of course - to have another girl's night next week. Tara helped me select a couple of outfits that were classy and business-like but still maintained an attractive look. I was pretty happy with it all until we got to the register.

"So, is this all going on your account, Sookie?" Tara didn't look at me as she spoke, focusing on ringing up my purchases instead.

"What are you talking about, Tara? You know I don't have an account here." I was puzzled. I didn't even think Tara offered her merchandise on account.

"You didn't even know?" Tara eyed the pile of clothes in front of her and with the bluntness that comes with lifelong friendship, asked, "How the hell you planning on paying for all this, girl?"

"Don't change the subject! I didn't know what?" I eyed my friend suspiciously.

"Your vamp's guy came in the other day and set up an account for you, anything you want. No limit, Sookie. It's all to be billed to his American Express." Tara stared at me defiantly. "And don't you go changing the subject either, missy! If you didn't know that, how the hell you paying for all this clothes?"

"I told you. I got a new job that's going to pay well. I had some savings." I shrugged it off, not wanting to make a big deal about it. I didn't want to talk about the other thing yet, either. "So, I can buy this entire store and Eric would have to pay for it?"

I didn't know what to make of this at all. I don't want Eric buying my clothes any more than I want Pam buying my clothes. Less, actually. I do have my pride, and they both know I have the finances for it now, even if they don't know everything. Most of all, knowing Eric would do this behind my back stung, just a little. And to send that annoying little ass-twit to do it? I'm positive that must have raised his estimation of me sky-high.

"That's what the guy said. No limit, ensure you are happy with your purchases. That's it, so yes, I suppose you could buy the whole store." Tara's face was as close to expressionless as possible and I knew that meant she was doing her damnedest to concentrate on keeping me out of her head. I knew she would never think badly about me in this situation, unlike many others would, so she must not want me picking up on what she thought of Eric or the ass-twit. Either way, I didn't care.

I put my Visa card on the counter and Tara rang it through without another word. We agreed we'd see each other next week, my place this time, and parted with hugs. I stowed my bags in the trunk and tried not to get too angry at his high-handed manner. I would have to talk to him about it, but I was trying to remain calm and rational. It was clear the bone-head had no idea what was appropriate in these times, but I would have no problem setting him straight. I could look after myself perfectly well, thank you very much. A gift was one thing. Charging my day to day expenses was the ridiculous part. I didn't need or want him that way.

I made myself a salad and grilled a small steak when I got home and quickly got ready for work. I wanted to nab Sam before my shift started.

"Hey, Sam. Got a few minutes?" I smiled brightly at him and my shifter boss responded in kind. As I suspected, it was pretty quiet at the bar. It was still a little while before the dinner rush would start.

"Sure, Sookie. What are you doing here so early?" I wasn't scheduled to work for an hour yet, but I didn't want to postpone anything.

"Can we talk in your office?" I nodded in the general direction of Arlene and Holly as they pretended not to listen to our conversation. Holly probably was trying to avoid listening, but I knew Arlene was straining to catch every word. She'd probably find an excuse to pass by Sam's office, too, if she could.

"Sure, chere. Come on." I followed him back to his office and took a seat in front of his desk. I waited for him to get comfortable before I spoke again.

"I'm real sorry, Sam, but I'm going to be leaving Merlotte's." I felt a small pang of sadness as the words came from my mouth, but I knew I was making the right decision.

"What?" Sam stared at me with shock. I'm sure he probably expected me to work there forever. "Is this because of Northman?"

"No, Sam! It has nothing to do with Eric, other than the fact it will give me an easier time seeing him. This is because of me, Sam, and my life right now. You know I love working here, but it's just not a practical option at this time." I was feeling a little annoyed at his immediate jump to Eric, but I didn't want to fight.

"So, what are you going to do, Sook? How are you going to live?" I knew he was asking as my friend, and not my boss and that was the only reason I answered him.

"I've got some work lined up. Some stuff using my thing, you know?" I tapped my temple to indicate my intent. "Turns out it pays really well and I'll have to travel some. It wouldn't be fair to you or the other waitresses to always be leaving you in the lurch."

"You know I'd work around anything if you asked, Sook. You don't have to leave."

"Yes I do, Sam." I replied gently. I had to stay firm. "You will find another waitress, and I know Arlene and Holly will be happy with some of my shifts." I was the only fulltime employee at Merlotte's and I know it rankled some of the others who needed the hours as much as I did. Maybe this way he could bump Holly and Arlene up to full-time hours and hire another part timer, or two.

After talking it over with Sam, I agreed I'd finish out this week's shifts, but he figured he could have someone hired and trained by next week. I left Merlotte's that evening with a light feeling, even if it felt really strange to know I only had three more shifts to work. I'd worked at Merlotte's practically my whole adult life. It was a bit scary how fast my life was moving these days, but I was nothing but excited on the drive home. It was an exhilarating feeling to know a whole new chapter of my life was unfolding in front of me. I just had to write the script.

I practically floated through the house and into the shower; I was dressed and on the road again in no time at all. Eric wasn't expecting me tonight, but I wanted to surprise him. He'd seemed mildly annoyed earlier, but his mood ever since has seemed relaxed and contemplative. I could tell he was keeping his side muted, but even so I could feel much more from him than before our second exchange.

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Fucking paperwork! Looking at the mess before me, I'm seriously tempted to put a match to it all and be done with it for once and for all. Between my Area duties, and all the interminable paperwork the cursed council wants signed in fucking triplicate, no less, and the mountains of invoices and tax forms the bar generates, I feel swamped in paper all the time. The New Orleans trip put both Pam and I out of commission for a few days, only increasing the backlog.

There's only a few hours to spare before I must make my presence known in the bar so I put my head down and get at the paperwork, quickly reviewing the documents Pam has left for my signature before moving on to the Area financial reports. The meeting with Sophie-Ann plays in my head on a loop as I work.

It went far better than I'd hoped, although ironically enough, all this accomplished nothing other than more tension and unease as I wait for the next volley from New Orleans. I'm neither gullible nor naïve enough to believe Sophie-Ann's – or Andre's - declaration of peace, love and understanding. Not a fucking chance.

Her sincere words and benevolent manner were nothing more than Plan B, Sophie covering her skinny ass once she knew she was treading on my toes. Hadley's desire to re-establish contact with Sookie is suspicious, given the timing. Unlike Sookie, who was in the dark about her cousin's whereabouts and genuinely believed she might be dead, Hadley knew all along how to contact Sookie. She chose not to. The Queen's excuse was flimsy, at best.

Involving Bill Compton in the matter was another point that did not fit with the family reunion story. All Hadley had to do was visit and she could have met with Sookie face to face. A phone call, even. Sending a vampire to make nice made no sense unless he was authorized to use force to obtain the use of an asset, namely Sookie. Sophie-Ann's refusal to put the bastard down only supported my theory.

The intrigue and posturing in the vampire hierarchy has motivated me and kept me on my toes through the years, but I find myself wondering whether it's enough. Maybe it is the so-far successful entry of Sookie into my dark existence, but I find myself questioning whether it is an existence I want.

My position as Sheriff has worked for me and kept me content for many years, affording me and mine relative safety and autonomy through the years, but at what cost? The Great Revelation increased the demands on my time ten-fold, and many of the matters I'm forced into dealing with are quite frankly fucking beneath me. If I am to accept Sookie is a permanent fixture in my life, do I really want to spend all my time dealing with the mundane nonsense I currently put up with on a nightly basis?

The bar was also something I once enjoyed. After having to hide in the shadows for all my long life, it was liberating to finally be able to relax and be myself in public. The thrill of willing humans faded rapidly, however, along with the desire to fuck or feed from any of them. Even before Sookie, when I was still fucking and feeding randomly, most of the luster had already worn thin.

Wasting the few precious hours I have on dealing with mountains of paperwork and putting myself on display for the viewing pleasure of drunken fangbangers was a pointless exercise. Did I really survive a thousand years only to find myself as nothing more than a public relations figurehead, forced into playing nice with the humans? There was more, I was sure of it.

The little fairy is giving me hope for more.

I could take Sookie and start anew, free from the political machine. I've started over many times. It wouldn't matter to me. But as idyllic as that might sound, I'd be forced to live with one eye over my shoulder at all times. At my age, with my reputation preceding me everywhere I go, we would be hard pressed to find a suitable area to settle where we would be left in peace. I had powerful friends in powerful positions all over the globe, but that would still mean drawing unwanted attention. I'd be considered a threat just about anywhere, and there are no guarantees Sookie's secrets could remain hidden. We would be exposed with no power and a huge target on our backs.

My other option is just as radical but it is the more promising of the two should Sophie-Ann prove troublesome. Killing her would remove the threat to Sookie, but I would be forced to become King, a position I truly never wanted. Taking on the throne would place me at the top of the hierarchy but in reality monarchs, for all the posturing many do in their own states, are nothing but little fish swimming in a great big pond. I'd be considered more of a great white than a carp like Sophie-Ann, but there would always be upstarts trying to establish themselves or expand their territory. Eventually every monarch is forced to fight to defend their territory; it comes with the job.

Would the protection of the throne be worth it? I knew I already had the necessary vampires in my retinue to pull off a coup, and many of those same vampires would make excellent contributions to my staff. If need be, I knew several old friends who would come if I called. My life as King would actually be more freeing, contrary to what one might assume. There'd always be meetings and functions to take up my time, but a well-trained staff could shoulder the brunt of the paperwork and grunt-work that went with the job. I should have more of a staff than I do now, but I've always preferred it to be Pam and I looking after Fangtasia. As a monarch, I could have as large a staff as necessary, even if I had to pay for some out of my own pocket. The question came down to whether or not I was willing to place us into a situation where an attack would be an inevitability rather than a possibility.

I was making good headway through the offending paperwork when a knock sounded on the door. I didn't look up from the bank statements I was studying, thinking it was an employee. God knows Pam rarely ever takes the time to fucking knock.

"Enter."

My office door swung open and the last person on Earth I expected to see walked through the door.

"Godric!"

I was in front of him in an instant, paperwork forgotten. I put a hand on his shoulder and bowed my head in my customary greeting. Godric removed my hand from his shoulder and held it between his two smaller hands, loosening his hold on our bond as he did, letting our shared energies flow through us. It had been many, many years since I could feel Godric in my blood, save the basic feeling of his life-force inside me. To feel him, even as faintly as this, was reassuring and familiar after all these years.

"Eric. My son." Godric closed the gap between us and briefly clasped me to him before stepping away and releasing me.

"This is a surprise. What brings you to Shreveport?" I motioned towards the couch and we sat before my maker answered.

"I felt the need to see you."

I stared at him, not sure what to say. His declaration was unusual, to say the very least. They are words my maker hasn't expressed in hundreds of years. A few times after I first set off on my own Godric had unexpectedly tracked me down, just to make sure I was faring well. I could recall him making similar statements then, but not in centuries. It was curious he felt the need to check on me just as my life was undergoing the most upheaval it has ever experienced.

"As you can see, I am well."

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Just like the patient and caring father figure he was to me, he didn't demand a response as was his right to do, but always gave me the choice to share my thoughts. I looked at the vampire I owed everything to and wondered how it was he seemed to know something had changed.

"I've met someone." I slipped easily back into the ancient language I shared with only Godric and Pam.

Godric closed his eyes and I could feel him absorbing some of my energy through our bond.

"Your blood has been bound. Your magic has changed." One of Godric's many gifts was the ability to sense the magic essence in vampires and many other supernatural creatures. He could quantify it, evaluate it, measure it. In short, he could tell how much and what type of power a being wielded. It was a skill he didn't manifest until he was well over a thousand. My sire and I both hoped it was a gift I might yet develop.

"Changed how?" As I aged and my powers grew and matured, Godric had often remarked on my magic increasing or growing. Changed was a different statement.

"There is an extra layer of magic surrounding you. It is amplifying your own magic." I could feel him sink into me again, examining our bond and the core of it where the magic of my being was rooted. "It comes from your new bond."

"How did you know?" I almost whisper the words, as absorbed as I was by Godric's examination of my bond with Sookie.

"I felt it happen. There was a – change in our bond. You have felt different to me ever since. "

"How?" Shocked, I stared at him.

"I don't know why or how, my child, but twice now I have felt your energy change in our bond. The last time, I felt the magic swell and move through you. It was really quite remarkably clear to me. Now I see you and I know it is true. Who is she?"

"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse." I looked my maker in the eye as I told him of her, watching carefully for any reaction. "It is her, Godric."

As hard as I stared at him, searching for the minutest of responses, there was nothing, not even the barest flicker of an eyelash. Of all people, he would know what I meant. Godric was everything to me, and she was the only thing to ever come between us before. I was hopeful the successful integration of Sookie into my life this time would be enough to satisfy Godric and maybe he would finally tell me the truth.

"I thought as much. Who else could it have been?" He posed it as if it were a rhetorical question, a foregone conclusion.

Godric was always a proponent of letting this woman into my life but would never give me answers about what he knows of her. The first time I realized he had a connection to her that pre-dated my turning, I was furious and rightfully so, I believed. Godric, my maker, my father. He knew how I'd suffered, knew how tortured I was. He encouraged me in my madness to save every god-damned one of them that crossed my path, but refused to tell me why it was important that I do so, even as I felt he knew more than he would ever tell me.

"It's different this time, Godric. She is different. I, too, am different."

"You seem - content?" My maker queried me in his softest tone. Above everyone else, Godric knew the turmoil she brought to my life. He knew how I'd suffered in the past.

"I am. It's complicated, and there seems to be danger everywhere she looks, but I am more content than I have been in a very long time." I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on my knees. "She is unique. Special."

"How did you find her?"

"She had been beaten and left for dead in her own driveway." My face turned grim as I recalled how close to death she had been that terrible night. "She was, in fact, almost dead when I found her. I gave her my blood to heal."

"You fed her your blood the first night you met her?" Godric looked truly shocked by my revelation, but I had to make him understand.

"I found myself driving to the northern region of my Area for no good reason and when I saw the sign for Bon Temps, I figured I'd go look for a rogue vampire I knew was living there, but instead I found her. I could smell her blood in the air and followed it. I knew the moment I saw her, Godric. It was her, and this time, I could fucking save her. So I did."

"I do not question your choice, I am merely surprised you offered your blood so freely." Godric's voice was mild and I could detect no reproach in his tone. "It is unlike you."

"I can't adequately explain what compelled me," I admit, thinking of the instinctive move that had me tearing my wrist open for her, "other than it was completely instinctual. I believe I was meant to be here, meant to save her. It wasn't a choice. I needed to save her."

"What is she? She must be deeply magical." Godric's eyes crinkled a little at the corners, giving him a slightly puzzled expression.

"She is one-eighth fae, from the House of Brigant. Niall Brigant is her great-grandfather, his half-breed son Fintan her grandfather. According to Niall, she carries the essential spark. She is also telepathic." I paused and searched his face before continuing. "But that's not all she is. She's beautiful, innocent and sweet. She's led a challenging life, but is dignified and graceful. She's more than her fairy blood."

I had let my words tail off when I realized how gushy, how fucking human I sounded. She was all of those things and so much more, but I wasn't explaining myself well. Sookie was different.

Godric puzzled look quickly turned thoughtful, although I was sure I saw a flash of surprise during the transition.

"Prince Niall is aware of your relationship with his kin?"

"The Prince himself informed me of their familial involvement after my relationship with her began. He feels her involvement with me might be beneficial for her safety."

"Why?"

"Fintan apparently used magic to keep her off Niall's radar, but when he died, so did his magic. Niall was able to track Sookie, but by the time he met her, we already carried each other's blood. He explained she carried the essential spark, and claimed my blood was the catalyst for her spark igniting. By Niall's word, she is maturing perhaps a decade or so ahead of the general timeline. He actually encouraged me to fully bond with her. He claims trouble is brewing with the Fae and he would prefer if she were more capable of defending herself."

"Unusual thinking, isn't it? I know Niall holds you in some regard, Eric, but I wouldn't have imagined him sanctioning a blood tie between you and any Fae. Encouraging it is unthinkable." Godric's soft voice held so much weight, his words slow and measured. "Did he give you any reasoning?"

I thought of Niall's claim she had tied herself to me in the fairy way, an unbreakable connection. At the time, I was skeptical and unwilling to factor it into the equation. After all, Sookie hadn't even been aware during the exchange and she didn't know me. It should have been impossible for her to make any fairy bond considering she didn't know she was Fae or how to activate this supposed bond.

Ever since she revealed her secrets to me, I was more willing to factor it in. If she had believed herself to be dreaming that night, it is more conceivable that she might have chosen me, as Niall referred to it, but it still left the question of how, since she was unaware of her heritage.

"He did," I admitted slowly, building up to explaining more of what I don't understand. "He said it was fated, that Sookie had somehow bound herself to me in Fae tradition when she took my blood. I don't get how that is possible, but that was his reasoning."

Godric stared at me, his eyes intent. "Niall says the girl chose you?"

"That was his word, yes. Do you know anything about it?"

Godric sat quietly in thought, his youthful appearance belying the thousands of years of experience and knowledge he had amassed. His knowledge of Fae rules and culture was far greater than mine, something I intended to capitalize on while Godric was here. My maker had lived in a time when the Fae walked the earth undisguised, and even after his turning, he lived in a period of relative peace in the supernatural world, well before the times of the big Vampire-Fairy wars. Godric had known not only Niall Brigant back in those times, but had also known Niall's father, the previous Prince of the Fae. He could hopefully give Sookie some information I knew she was longing for, but uncertain how to get it.

I waited patiently for him to speak, thinking it was a matter I had yet to broach with Sookie. I don't know if she's aware of what she supposedly did, and if she is, I would very much like to know my spitfire lover's reaction. Freedom of choice seemed important to her.

"A Fae bond is unbreakable and permanent, drawing its power from a mutual exchange of blood and magic. It's a rare Fae rite as it is said that a Fae can only bond with their one true mate. It is my understanding choice is an essential element of the ritual. Once the partners choose, their magic binds them to one another. Without choice, there would be no binding."

"I had thought the same. Niall's brief explanation made no sense. Sookie couldn't have made a choice because she didn't know me or her heritage. But I've recently learned there is far more to the story than I knew at the time. She has dreamed of me all of her life, Godric." I paused, knowing Godric's thoughts would immediately go to what he knew of my dreams of her. I waited a couple of seconds and continued. "Once again, it is an unexplainable thing, but you can attest to the unexplainable aspects of this entire fucking thing. She's been dreaming of me since she was a child, and the details she's shared lead me to believe it was me, the real me, she was dreaming of. She knows me, Godric. She's been in love with this dream me for many years. It is not unconceivable to think dream Sookie would do anything to bond herself to dream Eric. She was slipping in and out of consciousness as she took my blood that evening. There's some possibility she may have inadvertently made this choice."

Godric relaxed against the couch with a contemplative expression.

"It is a possibility," he replied gravely. "There is a deeper connection between you than you know, it would seem. It's obvious from her blood in you how deeply magical her core must be. It is a possibility, but I have only ever heard of pure Fae Chosen mates. It is rare, as I've said, and these unions are viewed with great respect. I don't know if it possible for a Fae to choose a vampire."

"So far, there's –" I was interrupted as Pam strolled into the office unannounced in her usual carefree manner.

"Eric, there's a problem with this invoice. The fucking dimwits at the liquor distributor just refuse to listen to reason."

My child finally realized I was not alone and her face lit up with genuine pleasure as she registered Godric's presence. Moving swiftly enough to be a blur, my disrespectful, interfering, bratty, spoiled child moved to kneel at Godric's feet, her head down and neck tilted in submission. Godric was the one being on earth Pam showed total and complete respect. As was their custom, Godric leaned forward and lightly pierced the skin of Pam's neck with the very tips of his fangs. He withdrew without drinking and the tiny holes quickly closed.

Pam rose to her feet and sat in the space between Godric and I. She looked as delighted as I felt by my maker's reappearance.

"This is the best surprise ever! To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I decided it had been far too long since I saw you, Pamela dear." Always suave, Godric flashed a charming smile towards her.

"You are far too kind, Godric." Pam smiled and changed the subject. She would never press Godric for more than he was willing to give, unlike her behaviour with me. I really have spoiled her. "Are you planning on staying long?"

"I have no plans. I cannot say with certainty how long I will be here, but certainly for the foreseeable future." He fell silent and remained so for a long moment before looking to me. "I have resigned my position in Texas."

I didn't know what to make of this development, and certainly had no words in the moment. Godric had no more desire for power than I but had maintained his position as Sheriff of Area Nine – a profitable area encompassing Dallas and its suburbs – for the same reason I held my position. Safety, security and minimal ass-kissing. For him to resign at the same time he felt 'a need' to see me…I wasn't a big believer in coincidence. There had to be a connection.

"You are welcome to reside in Area Five for as long as you like, you know that. Will you be staying with me?" Godric usually preferred his own space these days, but he would be forever welcome in any home I own.

"No, I will not." Godric shook his head before turning to Pam. "If your beautiful child here has the space for me, I will stay with her for the time being. We'll sort out the rest later."

I remained silent as Pam excitedly gushed to Godric about his accommodations. I wasn't surprised he wasn't staying with me, but his decision to bunk down with Pam was a shock. I was sure his reasons would become evident at some point, but I was clueless.

The one thing I really wanted from Godric was the one thing he'd always denied me and that was the truth of his relationship with her. Everything has been different this time. As I told my maker, she is different, I am different. Maybe this time Godric will be different, too.

Only when she and Godric rise to their feet do I realize I have missed something, my attention lost to my thoughts. Pam's rapid fire dialogue clues me in to their plans to get Godric settled early so she could return to the club for closing. After making plans to meet with my maker the following evening just after sunset, I bade him goodnight before trying to turn my attention back to the paperwork at hand.

In reality, my attention was split into multiple directions, with my thoughts twisting between Sookie, Godric and pondering what the connection between the two really was. Of course, it was a path my thoughts were familiar with, but this time my brain had new material to work with. Even though I knew to the very core that somehow, in some unfathomable way, she was somehow the same woman I'd encountered before. There were many not so subtle physical differences between them all, but yet there was an indefinable quality that tied them all together. I had gotten used to lumping them all together in my head. It was just her, no matter what the circumstances or the time period.

But this time was different. I cursed as I thought of that word yet again, but it was true. It felt like my mantra recently. Everything was fucking different. This time I had been there to save her. Just in time, but in time all the fucking same, thank you very much. And that changed everything.

I leaned back in my chair, abandoning any pretense of work and let my thoughts run wild, absorbing and cataloguing all I knew about Sookie Stackhouse and all I had learned from Godric and Niall. The fact there was supernatural blood running through her veins wasn't a shock. Whatever the cause or explanation, Sookie was indeed the latest incarnation of a woman I'd known in some manner for my entire existence. In fact, I am more surprised by the scarcity of supernatural influence.

My mind flips rapidly backward, reviewing what little I'd known of those who'd come before her. Little or nothing of any use came to me, as I'd known it wouldn't. I've literally spent centuries examining all the information I had and came up with nothing. Other than the clearly magical influence that had her re-appearing so many times, I'd not had cause to believe that any of them were anything more than human.

And then came Sookie. I'd managed to save her in the first minute of knowing her, tying myself to her in the process. Unbeknownst to me at the time, she used the moment to permanently attach her blood to mine, albeit unbeknownst to her, too. In rapid order, I was schooled in the differences between her and the others, each revelation echoing with repercussions. Her fairy blood, and royal relations. Niall's explanation of the Fae bond between us. My own Queen's interest in her. Her telepathy. Her dreams of me. And of course, our second blood exchange and unusually strong bond.

None of this brought me any closer to explaining why I felt the way I did about her. I was still fucking clueless why she was so fucking important to me on a larger scale.

The one thing I did know? I was never going to let her go.


	32. It's not time yet

**_A HUGE thank you to everyone who was kind enough to review, or to favorite/follow this story. Words cannot express how touched I am by each and every one!_**

**_Contains adult situations and themes._**

**_As always, I own nothing._**

* * *

><p><em>The inky black, moonless sky provided a perfect backdrop for the thousands of bright, twinkling stars lighting up the field before me. Inching further down the field, I inspected my surroundings, careful to stay hidden amongst the bramble and bushes lining the edge of the meadow. The scent of wildflowers permeated the night air, invading my senses with every breath. The sound of my shallow breathing seemed to echo in my ears, overshadowing the night sounds of the forest behind me.<em>

_I paused for the hundredth time that night, listening carefully, wondering if I'd made the right decision. Could I do this? Should I do this? I wondered. I shook my head to clear my negativity away and resumed my stealthy hunt. My heart told me my path was true and I couldn't afford to let my qualms interfere now. Too much hung in the balance._

_The end of the clearing was in sigh when I paused again, the fine hairs on my arms standing at attention. I knew in that moment I was no longer alone. Resisting the urge to flee, I firmed my resolve and turned slowly on my heel, not wanting to provoke the predator I both feared and hoped was waiting there._

_The illumination provided by the stars above was enough to make him visible to my eyes, his white skin glowing brightly in the darkness. My eyes compensated quickly and the dark tattoos ringing his slim shoulders became evident. I stared at the runes indelibly marked into his pale skin and wondered what meaning they held. I noticed he was taking quiet measure of me, as well, and I struggled to suppress a shiver. Instead, I stood as tall and still as I could manage and waited for him to open dialogue._

_After what seemed like hours, the small vampire spoke, his quiet voice belying the incredible power he wielded. His words were not ones I was expecting._

_"I know what you want of me."_

_"What?" I stared at him, dumbfounded. He couldn't possibly know what was in my mind.  
><em>

_"You want my help. I have decided to help you." Before I could blink, he was in front of me, just a couple of feet away. His ethereal glow was more pronounced at this distance, as was the strength emanating from his slight frame._

_"How do you know what I want?"_

_His dark eyes held mine for a long minute. "You will know in time. For now, I need to know why."_

_I couldn't tear my gaze from his and wondered if it was his influence. His eyes held me as I thought of the best way to answer. I wasn't sure if I could trust him, regardless of how much I needed him._

_"The tapestries of fate are woven with many threads. Some you can choose. Some you can't."_

_"Choice is a luxury." The vampire's expression did not change, nor did his gaze waver._

_"Some luxuries are justifiable."_

_"Since when did your kind become interested in choice?"_

I woke with my heart pounding in my chest and a sheen of sweat covering my skin. The cool fall air sent goosebumps racing across my skin as I jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom. I wasted no time in getting the shower going and climbed in quickly. The warm water pouring over me did little to ease the chill gripping my heart.

I shivered under the warm spray as I thought of the vampire in my dream. This wasn't the first time I'd seen him; at least three times he has visited my dreams. Every other dream had been similar, but had always ended with me asking the same question, "How do I know you?" The slight, dark haired vampire had always responded the same way, saying "It's not time yet." I'd awoken each time at that exact moment.

I picked up my new bottle of shampoo, an all-natural, 100% organic based brand Pam had gifted me with in New Orleans. She'd bluntly pointed out that while to my human nose, my bath products might smell like flowers and summer breezes, to a vampire's nose the underlying chemical smell was less than pleasant. As I worked the product through my hair, I had to admit it felt wonderful. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, the intoxicating scent almost succeeding in driving thoughts of my dreams out of my head.

Almost, but not quite. The vampire's words rang in my mind. _'Since when did your kind become interested in choice?' _My kind? What did that even mean? My fairy blood?

Why had this dream differed from the ones that came before? Since realizing my dream vampire was real, I was more prone to wonder if all my dreams had some meaning. Who was this vampire? He knew what I wanted, apparently, even though I was still very much in the dark. He said he would give me what I wanted and my dream self was pleased, though wary. I couldn't fathom what it all meant, but I thought I could ask Eric if he knew a vampire who looked like this one. His tattoos alone were enough to make him memorable.

Unfortunately, it looked like I might not be seeing Eric again for a couple of nights. Between his schedule and mine, nothing was working out. I smiled as I thought of the fact I only had a couple more shifts to work for Sam, and one of those was a day shift. I hadn't gotten around to telling Eric about my decision to quit, but we really didn't do a whole lot of talking, either.

Eric had been in a strange, contemplative mood when I arrived at Fangtasia. He'd shrugged it off as nothing when I asked, and even though I didn't completely believe him, his mood had improved significantly and I let it go. It was only when I turned around to find a spot to lay my purse that I noticed the sweeping changes to his office.

"What happened here?" I looked around in wonder, briefly wondering when he had time to do all this. Everything in the office was brand new, from the warm butterscotch paint job, to the over-sized chocolate brown couch against the far wall. Looking around, I noted the new desk and the new, Viking-sized leather chair he'd just vacated. Matching straight-backed leather chairs flanked the front of the large wooden desk. I walked over to the couch and dropped into it, sighing as my tired muscles realized how comfy they suddenly were. I smiled at my vampire and patted the space next to me.

"I thought a change was due." He was beside me before I could blink, his face suddenly buried against my neck. I shivered as his tongue flickered against the pulse point he found there before moving up to the sensitive flesh behind my ear.

"Why?" I nearly panted the word as I felt his soft lips wrap around my earlobe, his teeth scraping against my tender skin.

"So I could do this," he murmured as his hand slid under the hem of my skirt and followed a sinfully slow path to the apex of my now quivering thighs. His fingertips traced delicate patterns on my lacy panties as his mouth moved slowly down my chest until his lips were skimming along the neckline of my dress; his tongue tracing the exposed flesh there.

I laughed, even though the sound died in my throat when his cool fingers slipped under the bodice of my dress, seeking out my suddenly throbbing nipples. A distant, oddly coherent part of my brain was still piqued by Eric's enigmatic answers and was demanding answers. "You needed a new couch to try to seduce me?"

Eric's large body stilled against mine before his lips pressed a final kiss in the valley between my breasts. He pulled back and looked at me, his face unreadable. Our blood tie, however, was happy to tell the rather alarming story going on inside of Eric as regret, guilt and lust warred inside of him. I stared at him, unsure of what was happening behind those gorgeous eyes.

"Yes, I did." He sat up further, his hand slipping out from under my dress. He grimaced as he looked around his office. "I can't claim to have led a celibate life, Sookie, nor will I pretend to have been discrete in my encounters. I'm not apologizing, but there was no way I would ever sully you with their presence here, no matter how faint it was. You deserve better than that."

I looked at him, wide-eyed. Was he trying to tell me he'd replaced every piece of furniture he'd fucked another woman on? My eyes widened even further as I looked about the room. He'd certainly been busy – and creative - I thought as I looked around. But when I looked back at him, my heart melted a little when I saw the sheepish, hopeful look on his face. I was about to let him off the hook and tell him I appreciated the sentiment, when I thought better of it. He'd done something nice for me, something that showed he took my comfort seriously. I thought the least I could do was show him the proper appreciation.

I sat up straight on the couch and smoothed my hands down the soft fabric, making appreciative noises in my throat. Standing, I slowly moved about the office, looking at all the new additions. I ran my hands across the back of the leather chairs facing his desk, before moving around the desk to admire his big leather chair. I sat down briefly, spinning myself slowly around until Eric was again in my line of vision. He hadn't moved a single muscle since I began my inspection, although the bulge in those sinful leather pants he was wearing showed a definite interest in my movements. I stood and slowly moved around the front of his desk until I came to the middle. With what I hoped was a graceful, seductive move, I arranged myself in the center of the desk, fanning my skirt out around me. I crossed my legs before leaning back, propping myself up with my arms.

"It's all very lovely." The low rumble coming from Eric told me I was doing something right. Very slowly, I uncrossed my legs before re-crossing them on the other side. A heady feeling swept over me as the telltale movement in the front of his pants assured me I wasn't making a total fool of myself. The look in his eyes, the fierce look of desire etched onto his features, well - . Ah, heck, I don't know how to describe it. Let's just say it does mighty fine things for a girl's ego. "You did this for me?"

"Yes." Never one for too many unnecessary words, Eric stated his one word reply simply and continued with his burning inspection of my breasts which were, I admit, showcased prominently in my current position. The fitted bodice of the dress had done wonders for the girls anyway, but my arched back pushed them into wonder twin territory. I cleared my throat slightly and waited for his eyes to meet mine before asking, "Why?"

Ending his self-imposed exile on the couch, Eric rose to his feet and stalked towards me. His hands landed on my knees, nudging them open until he was wedged between them. I wrapped my thighs around the soft leather encasing his hips and stroked up and down the backs of his legs with my heels as he angled his upper body forward until his face was just inches from mine. One hand wrapped itself around my waist, coming to rest at the small of my back. Gentle pressure allowed my body to slide forward until his impressive erection was pressed firmly against my panties.

"For you, yes. For us, too." His large hand wrapped around my ribs and stroked upward until long fingers wrapped around the underside of my breast. His thumb brushed softly – too softly – against my now throbbing nipple. "You came to me untouched, my lover. I cannot claim the same, but I can ensure that everywhere you and I touch is untainted by the smell or memory of anyone but you."

A low moan escaped me at his words. He was mine, just as I was his. This gorgeous man really was mine. I must have spoken the word aloud, for the next moment Eric was growling as he muttered, "Yes, yours. And you are mine!" The distance between us disappeared and firm, cool lips took complete possession of mine.

With Eric's arms to support me, my own arms snaked around our tightly pressed bodies and came to rest on my favorite part of Eric's impressive frame. I groaned as my eager fingers explored the unyielding planes of his ass, the buttery soft leather so at odds with the hardness it contained. I wriggled my hips tighter against Eric, needing more friction and contact. His iron hold on me loosened slightly and his mouth broke free of mine to trail open-mouthed kisses across my jawline before dipping further to lave the exposed tops of my breasts with his eager tongue.

I looked at my vampire as he broke away from my hold, watching as he blurred in front of me. Through heavy-lidded eyes, I watched as articles of clothing went flying out of the blur that was Eric at this point. Suddenly naked as the day he was born, I watched as his hands disappeared under my skirt only to re-emerge with my lacy panties in hand. A triumphant, possessive look graced his elegant features as he took a deep sniff of my underthings before growling and tossing them over my head to land somewhere behind his desk.

My vampire dropped to his knees before me and, maintaining hot-as-fuck eye contact the entire time, pushed my skirt up until it was bunched around my waist. Oddly, I felt more naked, more exposed with only my lower half on display while my torso and breasts remained demurely clothed. A muscle in his cheek jumped and twitched as he struggled for control, sending answering jolts and twitches through my partially clothed body. His nostrils flared as he took in my naked, nearly embarrassingly wet center and his eyes rolled back into his head before fluttering closed for just a second. In a literal blink of my eyes, his were open again and boring once again into mine.

"Watch me, lover."

His husky voice did strange things to my heart and I struggled to stay still as his mouth descended on my swollen flesh, his tongue flattening as it swept across my core. I could feel his big hands slide down the insides of my legs before wrapping around my ankles, lifting and spreading my legs until the heels of my new shoes were digging into the edge of his brand new desk. I stopped caring about damaging the surface of the polished wood as Eric's clever tongue pushed inside my quivering flesh. My heels dug in as I pressed my hips hard against his desk, struggling to stop myself from bucking into his face.

A half-formed sigh of denial slipped between my lips as his tongue slipped from my body, morphing into a sharp cry of pleasure as two fingers slid with ease into my slick flesh as his tongue laved upward to tease and torment my most sensitive flesh. It wasn't long before I could feel the now familiar coil of pleasure build and I came screaming his name when a third finger slid into me, his fingers rubbing and stretching inside me.

I was still struggling to catch my breath when Eric pulled me to my feet and spun me around. I only registered my dress disappearing when he urged my body forward until my naked breasts pressed against the cool wooden surface. I reached forward and grabbed the edge of the desk for support as he positioned my hips to meet his. With one sure thrust, Eric seated himself fully before pulling out and slamming back into me with a demanding rhythm. I held on for dear life, moaning and crying against his desk as his cock brought every nerve ending to life with surgical precision.

I knew I would be marked tomorrow from his bruising grip on my hips, but I didn't care at all in the moment. He was claiming me like I wanted him to and damn the rest, I thought as another orgasm ripped through my soul. Eric's steel frame tensed behind me as my over-enthusiastic muscles milked a matching orgasm from him. He fell forward with a deep, protracted moan, his arms bracing him enough to keep his weight off my back.

"You steal every ounce of my self-control, lover."

His low, breathless declaration sent a shudder through my muscles, inadvertently teasing the beast still buried inside me. Eric reacted with a growl and before I knew it, the cool leather of the couch was at my back and the long, cool length of my vampire was pressed against my front.

We spent the next two hours in pursuit of two important objectives – well, three, I suppose, if you want to count the orgasms. And I absolutely wanted to count the orgasms. We successfully completed our first mission, to saturate every surface of Eric's office in my scent. Done. The second objective was to restore Eric's self-control, and I'm happy to say we failed miserably in that department. It's hardly what I would call a loss, though, as his lack of control definitely upped the orgasm count for the evening.

Dawn was too close for comfort, in my humble opinion, by the time we finally peeled ourselves apart. We'd spoken of nothing important the entire evening, but just before we parted, Eric questioned me about my schedule. I had planned to tell him about my decision to leave Merlotte's that evening, but it just never came up. Making a snap decision to tell him about it later, I gave him my remaining schedule for the week.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Can't I just want to know when my lover will be available again?" He smirked at me before continuing. "There is someone I would like you to meet."

"Okay." I agreed. "Can I ask if this is a good someone to meet, or a bad someone to meet?"

"Definitely a good someone to meet." He kept his hands on my shoulders as he continued, his beautiful blue eyes glowing softly. "It is my maker, Godric. He has decided to move to my Area for a time."

"You want me to meet your maker?" I was suddenly very nervous. Eric had told me a little of his maker once before, and while I was sure he was as good a vampire as Eric and Pam, it was still nerve-wracking. Meet the maker had entirely different stakes – pardon the pun – than meeting human parents, I figured. Human parents might dislike you or interfere too much, but a maker could end a relationship with a single command.

"Yes, I do." I don't know if my panic showed on my face, or if he felt it through our bond, but Eric's next words relaxed me somewhat. "Breathe, Sookie. There's nothing to worry about. I've told Godric of our relationship. He's looking forward to meeting you."

"It would be an honor, Eric," I said sincerely. If he thought enough of me to want me to meet his maker, I wasn't going to argue. If Gran were still alive, I'm quite sure I would want him to meet her, too. "I'm free the night after next, if that works for you."

"That would be perfect." He dropped a kiss on the tip of my nose. "Just as you are."

I tilted me head, about to issue an automatic protest to his declaration. My words died on my lips as I saw the look of contentment on his face. He looked so lovely, so much like my dream vampire, I couldn't bear to wipe the look from his face.

I wrapped my arms around him instead, taking in the delicious scent of him one last time.

"I will talk to you tomorrow night," he promised huskily.

"I can't wait," I replied with complete honesty. I was still wrapped in his arms, yet I was missing him already.

A sweet last kiss and our night ended. I pointed my old clunker towards the highway and drove off into the pre-dawn morning. I watched him in the rear view mirror until he disappeared from sight. A contented sigh escaped my lips.

I couldn't wait to see him again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.<em>**

**_Another chapter next week! I'm getting closer to the end; chapter 58 is started now._**

**_Thanks for reading!_**


	33. The Truth Comes Out

_**A big thank you to everyone who took the time to review or favorite/follow this story. Your support means a lot to me.**_

_**As always, I do not own these characters.**_

* * *

><p>"There is much you are keeping from her, my son." While damning, Godric's words were without reproach. He was simply stating facts.<p>

"There is, although it is not my intention." It was true. Even though I feared burdening her with my story, I was beginning to feel guilty for not having told her all before now. She'd been brave enough to be honest with me; surely I could summon an answering courage. It was a task I dreaded for completely selfish reasons. There was nothing pretty about the hell I've endured for a millennium. There was no pretty way to tell her; no amount of sugar-coating could make it palatable.

"It's a situation you need to remedy before you consider anything permanent, Eric." Although his mild tones might have fooled an outsider, I could both hear and feel the power behind his words.

"I agree." I sat back and kicked my feet up to rest on the corner of my desk, smirking a little as my eye caught the two deep gouges on the outer edge of the desk. My little fairy was a powerful creature when overtaken with lust. I shook my head and let my eyes meet those of my maker. "Sookie hasn't decided on a third exchange, however."

"That means nothing." Godric shot back at me, his eyes betraying his impatience with my reluctance. "It's actually better that way. It gives you time to tell her and time for her to process what it might mean."

"Why are you so persistent about this? I will tell her soon, when I am ready."

"It's important you be ready soon." He shrugged and I looked at him with rare suspicion in my eyes. Did he know something I was unaware of? Godric's maker was perhaps the most powerful vampire in existence, even if their relationship was a closely guarded secret. Rarely did she involve him in her world, but perhaps would make an exception if her vision were strong enough or involved any type of threat to her bloodline.

"And why would that be?"

"I feel it to be so." His enigmatic reply frustrated me. His reticence on the entire matter was annoying to me, if truth were told. It always had been, but I felt it more keenly now, perhaps because I had so much invested this time. "I understand your frustration but I don't understand your reluctance to tell her the truth."

I stared at him for long moments without reply. While it was true that my hesitance was self-serving, there was also truth in the idea I just didn't want to see pain touch her, and my story was nothing but pain. How could I ever explain what a tangled fucking mess my life had been, stuck in the webs of fate like a goddamned insect.

"Does she love you?" His words jolted me out of my pity party, as Pam was given to say.

"She told me she loved me, yes."

"Do you love her?"

"Vampires don't love."

"Eric." Godric chided me, his eyes full of reproach. "Unoriginal trite clichés? You are better than that. I will ask again. Do you love her?"

How could I love when I couldn't define it? I had no point of reference for such emotion. I didn't feel. It was better that way. The only beings I held any form of affection for were my maker and child, a loyalty and respect forged in blood and honed by time. Sookie evoked stronger feelings than any other, almost to the point of obsession, but was that love, or was it my desperation to keep her alive and finally break free of tangled webs of fate I'd been entwined in for a cursed millennia?

"No. I don't love her." I ignored the stabbing sensation I felt as the words left my mouth. "She is valuable to me, and I will protect her at all costs. I like her, I admire her spirit and I'm attracted to her, but it isn't love."

Godric looked like her had more to say on the subject, but instead went back to his original inquisition. "She needs to know, Eric."

"You think I should tell her I don't love her? I think that might be a little counter-productive, but if you think I should…" I laughed, making a joke to lighten the mood. Godric only frowned at me, well used to me using deflection and humor as a defense mechanism. I'd used it a lot through the years.

"I'm not suggesting you lie to her, no." Godric barely bothered to hide his smirk.

"I don't love her," I insisted.

"Of course not. Vampires don't love, right? You keep on telling yourself that, my son. I'm sure it will take you far." Godric laughed at the dark look I was giving him. "But leaving whether you love her or not aside, she loves you. She trusts you. She holds your blood in her heart. If you cannot give her the love she no doubt seeks from you, you can at least give her the truth she deserves."

"Fuck!" My boots slammed into the floor with a resounding thud as I got to my feet. "What do you suggest I do? How do you think she will react to finding out she's not as special and fucking unique as she thinks she is? What the fuck do you think she'll do when she finds out she's nothing more than the latest addition to the fucking herd of blonde haired, blue-eyed girls in my life – every fucking one of them dead? Do you think she would ever agree to a permanent bond if she knew just how twisted my interest in her is?"

"She's a special girl, Eric. She's obviously strong enough to deal with all she knows of so far – " I was so far into my rage and fury that I cut Godric off mid-sentence. "Yes, she's undeniably special. But is she special enough to withstand knowing I dream of her fucking death all the time! Do you think she will be somehow comforted by knowing the fucking truth?"

I was yelling at my maker by the end of my speech and I paced the length of my office, trying to get my anger and frustration under control. I suppose it was my preoccupation, but I was completely thrown off-balance when the office door was flung open to reveal a blank faced Sookie and Pam, the latter wearing a look that wavered between apologetic and horrified. I was immensely grateful in that moment that Godric and I nearly always spoke in the language of my youth. If Sookie had heard my words – I shook off the thought and stepped toward her, concerned by the look on her face and the way she was holding such tight control over her end of our blood tie.

"Lover? Is everything okay" I moved to take her into my arms, only to frown as she quickly sidestepped my embrace to move towards Godric.

Curious, I watched as she stood quietly in front of him. Godric stood just as quietly, mimicking her stance as he waited for her to speak. The atmosphere in the room felt tense, even as they appeared completely relaxed.

When I thought on this moment later, it would occur to me to wonder why nobody spoke, why the silence was allowed to go on for so long, but in that moment, the passage of time didn't seem to register with any of us.

"How do I know you?"

Her voice was firm and strong, but there was an undertone of something - wonder, perhaps? Uncertainty was there was well, but it was becoming clear my fairy had – or at the very least, thought she had – some idea who Godric was. Jealousy spiked in me and unwanted thoughts of my maker's previous knowledge of her invaded my brain.

"Only you know the answer to your question, child." Godric calmly addressed her, his words uttered in a calm, reasoned voice. "I suspect you will know when it is time."

Even though her face remained unnervingly impassive, Sookie visibly reacted to his cryptic reply, her body jolting slightly. She stared at him with very wide eyes before offering her own enigmatic response.

"Maybe it is time. You said you know what I want."

This time, it was Godric who reacted, much to my amazement. Nothing ever fazed him, but I saw the nearly imperceptible straightening of his spine; the faint tilt of his head. I glanced at Pam and saw she was just as stupefied as I about the scene playing out before us. She shrugged and I shook my head in reply. I had no idea what the hell was happening, but I felt oddly compelled not to interfere, to let it play out as it would.

"When did I say that?" Godric questioned gently.

"I dream of you." My blood reacted to her words as fierce possessiveness spiked through me. "You always tell me it is not time yet. But the last time, you told me you knew what I wanted and you were willing to do it." Her eyes remained focused on him, searching his face for something I didn't understand.

"And what did I do for you?" He questioned, his own eyes deep and focused. It was a bizarre conversation, but Godric seemed to be following it with ease. I have a feeling he knew the answer to his query.

"Nothing. I woke up not long after. I always wake too soon." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she shook her head. "But you know, don't you? You know what I am talking about."

"I know many things, child." He did know; I was certain of it. He knew the answers she sought, and likely the ones I sought. I still couldn't understand why he withheld like he did.

"I'm sure you do." Sookie snorted her displeasure with his answer. "But I only care if you know this one thing."

"You think I know what is in your dreams?"

"You are in my dreams. And now you are here." She shrugged as if that were enough correlation to back up her argument. Her brow furrowed for a moment as she looked at him. "Who are you, anyway?"

"I am Godric. Eric's maker." He paused and inclined his head respectfully toward her. "And I assume you would be the Miss Stackhouse I have heard so much about?"

"You're Eric's maker?" She looked dumbfounded for a moment before shooting quick glance in my direction, the first time she met my eyes since she entered the room. Concern started to mount as her gaze was quickly redirected towards Godric once again. I felt for the bond, but it was futile. I could feel her presence, but not a hint of her emotions. I cursed the control she had over our tie.

"Yes."

"Well, isn't this just grand." Sookie's arms flew quickly through the air before settling at her sides once again. While I recognized the motion and her tone as aggravation, I didn't understand the displeasure she was showing with the situation.

Hell, I didn't understand anything right now.

Godric's eyes remained trained on Sookie during the ensuing silence. I was just starting to think it a little strange, he spoke and the moment shattered.

"It is indeed grand to meet you, Miss Stackhouse. Eric has told me much about you."

"Yeah, well, that's Eric, isn't it? An excellent communicator." Nothing close to derision was showing on her face or in her tone, but I felt it like a knife to my gut, all the same. What the fuck was going on here?

Sookie POV

I could feel Eric's eyes boring holes into my head, but I kept my gaze on Godric. Right now, my anger at Eric was firmly stopped, capped and locked away for the time being. I would think about all I heard him say later. Right now, I was feeling desperate for answers from his maker, not him.

There's no way I can describe how it felt to learn that the only other vampire I dream about is my vampire's maker. Dumbfounded comes close, but misses the mark. All I know is the vampire before is important somehow, more than just a dream.

"Eric's skills are many and varied, but communication is among them, yes." Godric's voice remained level and calm and I wondered briefly if he understood the implied sarcasm in my statement. Probably not.

"I guess you taught him everything he knows, then, huh?" I know I was crossing the line into disrespectful, bratty behavior, but I was frustrated beyond belief with both of them. "Like father, like son."

"Sookie, is there something wrong?" Pam's voice floated through the air, reminding all of us of her presence, as focused as we all were on each other.

"Perceptiveness is clearly one of your skills, Pam." I turned to face the vampire I was still a little afraid of, but was coming to like. "Communication is not your best skill, so perhaps you can practice and communicate to the two of these yokels that I have nothing else to say to either of them until they are done hiding stuff and lying to me."

I turned on my heel and walked rapidly toward the door, sure that any moment the vampires I left behind would rouse themselves from their shock and stupor to come after me. I was right, but I at least had made it through the employee entrance and was halfway to my car before Eric caught up with me.

"Stop, Sookie. Tell me what is wrong." He fell into step beside me, not laying a hand on me. Smart vampire.

"What is wrong is I am suddenly finding myself questioning everything about my life, and everything that has happened the last few weeks." I stopped as we reached my car and reached inside my purse to hunt for my keys. "It's not helping the situation when I feel no one around me is being honest with me and telling me the whole damned story! Everyone is hiding stuff from me, and I have to wonder what that means. How bad is it that no one will tell me the truth?" My voice rose steadily as I spoke and I was extremely grateful when my fingers finally closed around the cool metal ring bearing my keys.

"What do you think we're hiding, lover? Ask me anything, and I will tell you. You haven't told me what truths you seek."

"And that right there is the problem, Eric." I opened my car door and made to get in. "There is only one truth, Eric. Just one. And right now, that truth is you're all lying to me about something big, something I have the right to know."

"I told you before, Sookie. I will never lie to you –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll never lie. You might not always tell me everything, but you will tell me the truth. But if it's about me, Eric, then evasion of the truth is still lying. When you're ready to tell me the truth about what is happening with us, then come see me. But not before, you hear me?"

"You are throwing me out of your life?" Eric looked stricken for just a moment, and I instinctively checked the bond to discern his feelings. Anger was the dominant force, followed by a deep sadness. I closed myself off from him again, not wanting his feelings influencing me.

"No. I'm telling you I need some time and space to think about what's happening in my life. Everything is moving too quickly, and I'm making stupid mistakes and assumptions because of my dreams. I need to think about everything I know, and everything I don't know and decide what's best for me."

"But you don't want to see me." He was staring at me, a cold look on his face, but a weariness and heaviness was settling around his eyes.

"No, I don't want to see you." My heart felt like it was breaking as I spoke those words. How had this night gone so badly, so quickly? I steeled myself and continued speaking. "I don't want to see you again until we both know what we want. I need to know if my life is real, or if it's just the blood and dreams taking control of me."

"Sookie, what happened tonight? Everything was fine before." He looked at me with such a pleading look in his gaze; it took every ounce of resolve in my body to carry on with my plans. I lowered myself into the car, started the engine and fastened my seatbelt around my hips. I reached for the door handle to close the door and looked at Eric one more time before I left. Just before the door closed between us, I answered his question.

"I started to wonder if I really am as special and unique as I thought I was." I closed the door fully and put the car into gear. Without looking back, I drove away, leaving Eric, his maker and his child behind me. Sadness built quickly as I realized how alone I felt.

I drove aimlessly around Shreveport for about half an hour, trying to delay going back to Gran's old farmhouse, now my old farmhouse. All that waited for me there were mocking memories of the love I thought we might have shared in my old bed.

I took the first exit I saw for the highway not long after and started the long drive to Bon Temps. It didn't seem to matter where I was, my thoughts were always consumed with my vampire lover. No point wasting gas. I kept my eyes on the road but let my mind wander more than I should have. I spent the drive pondering what Eric might have meant back in his office.

It's not like I was trying to eavesdrop on him or anything. I knew he wasn't alone and I was stupidly trying to figure out who was in there; should I knock on the door, or not? It wasn't until I heard his visitor ask if I loved him that I started consciously listening in on his conversation. I was surprised to hear him claim my love. While I had thought I might love the real Eric Northman as I loved my dream vampire, I still hadn't decided completely. And I'm certain I would remember if I told him I loved him!

I was listening intently as their conversation continued. I wasn't terribly surprised when Eric denied loving me, after all, he was a vampire. He was unlikely to admit those feelings to another vampire, even if he really had them. I had opened the bond a little and felt that strong warmth coming from him that I associated with his feeling for me. It felt a little like love, especially when we were together and our emotions were amped up. I thought perhaps, maybe one day he could love me.

I knew my dream Eric loved me. He told me all the time but even more importantly, he showed me all the time the depths of his love for me. I know I sound like a whiny teenage girl going on about some mythical perfect man, but dream Eric felt as real to me as this Eric did. In fact, I felt closer to dream Eric in many ways. There was a deeper connection.

I'd thought I was coming closer to having that kind of connection with Eric. Our bond, while still strange to deal with, was also comforting and intimate in a way I hadn't expected. I liked it.

But what he'd said to Godric had made me question everything. What was all of that? The words I understood; it was the meaning behind them I was uncertain of.

I could deal with him saying he didn't love me. I knew what I felt from him, and if he wasn't ready to call it love, could I blame him? I wasn't ready to say it, either.

Despite my parting shot at Eric, I didn't mind the whole 'special and unique' thing. I never really believed myself to be special and unique; I couldn't really be upset about not being something I never was to begin with.

He'd meant something by it, though, and that was the problem. Logic would dictate that he was indicting his belief I wasn't special and unique. I was nothing more or less than all the other blondes he's had. It would be the easiest assumption.

Every instinct I had screamed how wrong that hypothesis was. Every touch he'd ever given me, every tender moment we've ever shared told me this was false. Even if it were only because I shared his blood, I was special. I was unique. I wasn't just another warm body to fuck and feed from. He'd gone out of his way to save me, to protect and care for me.

He'd defied his Queen for me. Try telling me that was something he'd done for the 'fucking herd of blonde haired, blue-eyed girls' he'd mentioned.

No, regardless of whether I'd thought I was special and unique or not, in regards to him, I was.

The idea the herd of blue-eyed blondes were all dead didn't particularly bother me, either. I wanted to clarify a point or two, but as long as they hadn't died by his hands, I wasn't concerned. He'd been alive practically forever. It's not a big surprise many former lovers are dead. I was sticking to that thought until I knew more. I was completely avoiding the thought he'd dreamed of my death. I'd think about that later.

My biggest concern was the implication he was hiding something big from me. Godric said it flat-out, and Eric had confirmed it, even if he claimed he didn't intend to. Even more concerning was the elder vampire's insistence it was something I needed to know, something I might need time to process.

Keeping vital information from me wasn't behavior I would tolerate in a relationship. Regardless of his reasons or intentions, he was hiding something I apparently needed to know. Was there any way to trust him with my future when I didn't know what he was hiding?

I finally reached home and switched off my thoughts along with the engine. My brain was screaming out for a reprieve and I intended on providing just that in the form of a nice hot bath and a very large glass of wine.

Ignoring the flashing light on my answering machine, I kicked off my shoes, dropped my purse on the table and my coat on the back of the chair. I poured a glass of wine and went straight upstairs.

The water was hot and the bubbles were plentiful as I eased myself into the old claw foot tub. Laying back, I sipped on my wine and thought of absolutely nothing for a few minutes. It could all wait. Tomorrow was, after all, a new day.

If it worked for Scarlett, it would work for me.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Thanks for reading. I really hoped you enjoyed it. Please be kind and leave a few words telling me what you're liking or hating about the story.<em>**

**_Next chapter soon!_**


	34. Fairy Tales and Apple Trees

_**I know I said I was only going to post one chapter a week, but I felt like posting another for you. I just finished writing a part of the story I found particularly difficult and decided to do some editing instead for a couple of days.**_

_**For anyone confused by Sookie's ability to understand Swedish, you can go back to Chapters 6 and 9. There's some explanation there and it will be addressed further in later chapters.**_

_**For anyone interested in a look at Eric's frame of mind during this time, you can check out my one-shot "Ain't no Sunshine." The cellphone Sookie mentions in this chapter appears in that story, which is pretty much an outtake of this story.**_

_**I hope you enjoy. As always, these characters are not mine. **_

* * *

><p>I'd groaned aloud when I'd sensed yet another vampire on my doorstep; after all, what part of 'give me some space and time' do they <em>not<em> understand?

Eric had been the first to show up, of course. I'd expected it, but that didn't mean I was happy to see him. I still had a heck of a lot of thinking to do about him, and our situation. I wanted the time and space I asked for, and it pissed me off when he just didn't seem to get it. He left without a fight, but I suspected he'd been here since. Just this morning there had been fresh tire tracks in the gravel and I'd found pieces of a crushed cell phone on the ground outside the house.

Pam showed up a couple of nights later. I let her know - very politely, of course - that her presence and meddling was unwelcome. She'd laughed and said she'd told Eric as much, but he was willing to risk my anger. I guess he trusted I would remain angry with him and not Pam. Either way, I didn't shoot the messenger, but instead invited her in and offered her a True Blood. She'd declined the drink, and instead asked me if I were going to attend the Halloween bash Fangtasia was throwing. I'd received an invitation in the mail yesterday, but didn't think my attending would do any of us good. After a quick, impassioned plea on to change my mind and attend, Pam took her leave. Her parting words sent both a chill up my spine and a warmth through my heart.

"Sookie, please remember there might be dangers facing you. Don't think you're alone because of whatever is happening with you and Eric. If you ever feel the slightest threat, I want you to call me immediately, you understand? I don't want you dead because you're too stubborn to call Eric. You're growing on me way too much to lose you now, my telepathic friend."

I sat waiting with resolve for the knock to come on the door, but it never did. Curiosity eventually won out and I got up to investigate. I could sense the void, and judged it to be no more than a few feet away from the door. Peeking out from behind Gran's lace curtains, I was very surprised to see who was standing in my yard.

Godric. Eric's maker. The vampire I'd been dreaming about.

The vampire I felt knew more than he was willing to tell. My heart pounded in my chest as I contemplated opening the door. Did he, too, come just to sing Eric's praises?

"Oh, hell," I whispered to myself as I made up my mind. I moved to the door and slowly opened it wide.

Godric stood a few feet from the bottom of the steps, his hands folded casually behind his back. Just like the first time I met him, he wore loose linen pants and tunic, with sandals on his feet. It suited him somehow. Standing as still as only mountains and vampires can, he didn't flicker a muscle as I opened the door and advanced onto the porch. It didn't escape me I'd left the security of my home behind me, but I didn't feel this vampire was here to harm me.

"Godric." I bobbed my head in greeting. "Good evening. To what do I owe the honor?"

"Miss Stackhouse." Godric inclined his head in return, only his move seemed graceful and elegant in comparison with mine. "It is a lovely evening, don't you think?"

The ancient vampire in my driveway tilted his head to the sky, his wide eyes taking in the vast swath of the Louisiana night sky visible from my old farmhouse. As isolated as I am out here, there's not many lights to interfere with the brilliance of the autumn sky. I take a moment to appreciate the view with my unexpected visitor.

"Would you care to go for a walk, Miss Stackhouse?"

I'm still not sure if the surprise I felt was because of his unexpected request, or because I was nodding in agreement and moving down the steps before wondering why.

"Only if you will call me Sookie." I smiled at him when I reached his side and we fell into step naturally, slowly strolling around the property to Gran's back gardens. Far from being uncomfortable, the silence between us somehow seemed appropriate and companionable. It continued until we reached the rows of vegetables I'd planted in the spring. I'd only done half the job Gran always managed, but remembering all the crying I'd done that day, I was happy enough with my crop.

"Do you grow enough to self-sustain?" Godric waved his hand in the direction of the garden.

"It's funny," I laughed, "I was just wondering what in the world I'm going to do with all this! I've been eating it all summer, and there's still so much more. This will be tons for me, even if I give away quite a bit. I don't have the time to do all the canning and preserving Gran would have done. She was the gardener in the family and always managed to grow enough to keep us well fed, and half the parish, too."

"This was your grandmother's home?"

"Yes. I've lived here most of my life. Gran raised my brother and I."

"How long has your family been on this land?" Godric's serene countenance wore a slightly contemplative expression as he looked around.

"Oh, gosh, for many generations. Hundreds of years, but I'm afraid I don't know exactly when." The Stackhouses had been a part of Bon Temps for as long or longer than many other families, including the Bellefleurs and Comptons.

"Are there apple trees on the property?"

"Well, yes, there are a few." I wondered at his curiosity. Surely an ancient vampire would have more to think about than fruit trees.

"Would you show them to me?"

"Sure, if you want." I nodded my head in the direction of the meadow behind us. "It's only a couple of minutes from here."

As we walked along the edge of the meadow, once again in comfortable silence, it began to occur to me how similar this landscape is to the one in my dreams of Godric. I know it is not the same, but the meadow, the woods, the night sky…it all felt familiar and I was speaking before I could think.

"It looks very much like this when I dream about you."

His eyes meet mine and hold my gaze for a moment before he looks away to casually study his surroundings. I could almost see the truth in his eyes before they turned away.

"Does it?" he enquired in an uncommitted fashion. He wasn't fooling me, though. I knew he wanted to know about my dreams just as much as I wanted to know the truth behind them.

"Yes. It's always night, of course, and I creep through a meadow like this to find you." I pause and take a deep breath, taking in the familiarity of the Louisiana night. "I can always smell the heavy scent of wildflowers, but it's nothing like this."

"Linnea borealis." His reply is low, so low, in fact, that I suspect he didn't intend for me to hear him. I'm sure it was only because of all the vampire blood in I'd consumed. Either way, I'd heard what he said and intended on Googling it the very minute I was able.

"You dream of this often?"

"I've had five now. The first four were all the same, and the last one you said you knew what I wanted and were willing to do it." I don't know why I was so sure he knew, after all, Eric didn't know of my dreams until I told him, but I was convinced Godric knew what it all meant.

"Why do you think I understand your dreams, little one?"

"Are you sure you're not the mind reader here?" I laughed at his bemused expression. "Once again, I was thinking of the exact thing. And I don't know why, I just feel that you can tell me what is happening." I stopped at the beginning of the trail leading to the small apple grove. Waiting until he looked me in the eye, I took a risk. "I'm not wrong, am I?"

He didn't reply, his nose lifted and scenting the air. He proceeded down the trail, moving with more purpose now, forcing me to keep moving to stay with him. From a distance, you might assume he was drunk, and with the way he was zigzagging his way down the trail, nobody would fault you for that assumption. He was quite audibly scenting the air and I could only relate the twitching of his nose to that of a bloodhound on a scent.

"Umm…Godric? What are you doing?" I questioned curiously. I took a couple of discreet sniffs but detected nothing more than the earthy, fall scent mixed with the oddly sweet aroma of decaying apples.

"What do you know about apples, Sookie?" Godric's question was as odd as his behavior and I laughed nervously.

"I don't know! They make great pies? It takes more calories to digest an apple than an apple has?" I just didn't know what he was getting at? Why were apples suddenly so danged interesting?

Godric shot a measured look my way. "I meant, what do you know of the history and folklore concerning apples?"

He reminded me of Gran in that moment. I suppressed a smile at the thought and tried to adopt a serious expression to match his demeanor.

"Other than the biblical stories, I'm afraid I don't know much. Gran always said eating an apple a day would keep me young forever. She always wanted more apple trees, but for some reason, they just don't grow anywhere else on the property."

Godric looked thoughtful as he formulated a reply. "According to some legends, your Gran would be correct in her assumptions. Many cultures have revered the apple as a symbol or bearer of everlasting youth and immortality. Did you eat these particular apples often?"

"Well, yes, we did. All of our lives, I suppose." I paused and looked at him. He was starting to freak me out just a little. "Why?"

"Apples are also important in Faery mythology, although I'm afraid I do not know what is truth and what is "fairy-tale". I do know the Fae are particularly fond of placing their portals in or near apple groves. There's a faint scent of Fae magic in the air here. I would imagine it's safe to assume there's a portal here."

Godric looked at me while I gaped at him like a guppyfish. I'm sure I must have looked like I was mad, but I was wondering the same about him. He surely _must_ be mad to think there was a magical fairy portal in the middle of the apple grove! I searched his face for any sign of lunacy, but was soon forced to admit he looked perfectly serious and at ease with his statements. I snapped my jaw shut and forced a huge lungful of air deep into my body.

"Can you feel it?"

"What? No, I can't feel it. And like I said, I've lived here my whole life. I never felt anything different here."

"You are part Fae, my child. You possess powerful magic of your own. It is not unreasonable to assume you could locate the portal, at the very least."

"But – " I stopped and just stared at him. Even though I thought he was the crazy one, I could feel my crazy smile start to spread across my face as tension ratcheted up in my body. I just couldn't find the words to refute his statement.

Isn't this what everyone has been telling me lately? I am Fae; I have the essential spark. Apparently, I should be able to use this spark to do all manner of freaky stuff. Did that include locating a portal to the fairy realm – another fricking realm, for cripes sake! – on my families land? My mind started to wander, wondering if it were really possible that Gran's meeting with Fintan was the only time fairies and Stackhouses have crossed paths.

Godric eventually broke the awkward silence I'd left hanging.

"I understand this is new to you, Sookie. I can only make assumptions on how difficult it is for you, but it is a fact you must embrace if you want to fulfill your potential." Godric's calm words melted through my brain. "You view yourself as human, yet you are a supernatural being, with all that entails. You are of royal blood, descended from Kings. You are bound by blood magic to a powerful vampire, one who bears the blood of an ancient and extremely powerful line. That same blood now runs in your veins, little one."

"Yeah, well, it's not like anyone gave me a guidebook or anything." I muttered, looking sheepishly at the ground. "I don't know how any of this works! The only time I've ever seen anything happen was when – " I broke off, mortified at what I almost said to him.

"When what, Sookie?" Godric questioned gently.

I gulped for air. Could I really have this conversation? With Godric, of all people? After scrunching my eyes up and letting out a really noisy sigh, I lifted my head to meet his eyes.

"When Eric and I made love – had sex, that is – there were some strange things, glowing lights and such." My face flamed fire engine red, but I got the words out quickly. To my utter relief, he didn't pursue the subject much.

"There is a profound connection between you. It's not surprising for your magic to become more powerful when you make love, or if you exchange blood. If these things happen at the same time," Godric seemed completely at ease with the discussion, but I was beet red. "Who knows what could happen."

"Anyway, the answer is no. I can't feel it." I turned the subject matter back.

"Have you ever tried?"

"No. I didn't know of it until now."

"Why don't you try?"

"I wouldn't know what to look for. I'm sure there's not a sign or anything." I snickered, my nerves rampant.

"Feel for it," he suggested, "clear your mind and just walk around for a few minutes. You might feel a change in the air, in the energy surrounding you, or you might even feel it in the earth beneath your feet."

I really thought he was nuts, but I started to wander through the grove slowly, walking back and forth through the trees. I tried to slow down, take my time and relax as he'd suggested, but it was hard to do. I felt self-conscious and aware of his presence. One part of me really wanted to find the portal so he would maybe be pleased enough to tell me something I wanted to know. Another part of me hoped he was simply crazy and I didn't really have a portal to another dimension in my back yard.

My stroll through the grove of denial came to a shocking halt as I walked past the last row of trees. A small clearing between the last two trees seemed to pulse at me as I walked by and I yipped in surprise as I jumped back.

Godric was by my side in a second. His eyes closed as he took in a deep breath and slowly extended his hand into the space in front of us.

"What do you feel?" he asked.

"I don't know," I stammered in reply. "It just felt – alive, maybe? Like it had a pulse?" Who was the crazy one now, huh?

"It is probably the portal," he said with a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "I cannot tell, but if you can feel it, that's what it is."

"You can't feel that?" I questioned. I could feel the pulsing waves from here, even if it was fainter.

"No. Only those with fairy blood can feel them like that. I suspect the portal would be visible to you if the concentration of Fae in your blood was any higher." Godric mused.

"I'm in shock. I never knew this existed." I looked at him curiously. "How did you know it was here?"

"Just a series of educated guesses." He answered my question, but left me wanting more.

"Such as?" I prompted.

"I know a little of your history, including your grandmother's relationship with Fintan Brigant. There was the lingering magic in the air and then there was you."

"Me? What do you mean?" I asked with surprise.

"You have an unusually strong magical core for one with such little Fae blood. Seeing your garden made me wonder if the land itself was blessed. If you have been eating the produce and fruit grown on Fae blessed land, it would make sense for your spark to be stronger than it should be based on the quantity of Fae in your blood."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Gran had always made sure we ate our fruit and vegetables. I could almost hear her in my head, 'You won't grow up to be as strong as you could be if you don't eat right.' I wondered with a touch of bitterness if she had known about this; maybe it was just one more thing she kept from me.

"It's merely conjecture on my part," Godric pointed out. "I believe it may be a fair analysis, nevertheless."

I threw my hands up in frustration and stalked away. I wanted to stamp my feet and scream at the sky, but I refrained only because I didn't want to embarrass myself any further in front of the ancient vampire.

Godric left me to my thoughts and I paced the length of the grove only to turn around and head back to him.

"How do you know so much about this stuff?"

"I'm old. I have been on this earth long enough to have seen almost everything one could possibly see." He shrugged. "There is not much I do not know something about."

"Do you know anything about me you did not learn from Eric?" I asked directly. "Or from Pam?"

"I had never heard your name until Eric spoke it." There was not a flicker on his face, but I wouldn't have expected him to give anything away. As he said, he was old; too old to make mistakes like that.

"Why did you come here? Why now?" I was learning not to accept things as simply coincidental.

"I had a feeling." Godric's short statement didn't really provide any answers.

"A feeling was enough to make you quit your job and come here?" I asked, disbelief shining in my tone.

"When it involves Eric, a feeling is more than enough to motivate me. A job is just a job."

I turned my back and paced a few steps. I don't know why I was so short-tempered with Godric all the time, but there was something frustrating about his attitude.

He was hiding something. I knew it.

"It's getting late." His even, modulated voice broke through my tangled thoughts. "Shall we return?"

"I suppose so." May as well. There was nothing else to see here.

"Why did you come here tonight?" I asked quietly as we retraced our footsteps back the house. "I'm sure you had better things to do than go walking with me."

"I had hoped to convince you to attend the Fangtasia Halloween bash with me."

Utter surprise colored my features as I looked at him. Of all the reasons he could have given…

"But…why?" I asked.

A sigh hissed between the vampire's lips. "Why not?" He asked quietly.

"You know things are not – well, they're just not right between Eric and I right now. Why would you want me to be there?" I questioned.

"Pam is making me go and I don't want to go alone." The ancient vampire sounded like the teenager he resembled. "I know things are not right, as you say, with Eric. You need to talk with him; he needs to explain things to you. If you attend with me, you won't be alone either."

"You want me to ambush Eric at his own party and insist he talk with me then?" My eyebrows rose and my wide eyes gawked at him.

"Ambush is a strong term," my companion mused. "It would suggest your presence would be not expected or welcomed. Neither scenario is realistic."

"Did Eric ask you to come here?" My suspicious nature shone brightly.

"No. Eric is not aware I am here."

"He sent Pam, you know, to try to convince me to go to the party." I deliberated aloud. "Why is it so important for me to attend?"

"You've shut him out. He wants to see you." He made it sound so simple. "Is it so strange for him to want you there?"

"It's a little simplistic to say I've shut him out, Godric. I know he is hiding things from me and I just can't move forward until I know what they are. He doesn't seem willing to tell me, so yeah, it's a bit strange for him to want me there."

"Perhaps he plans on talking to you there. But I am not asking you to go see him if you aren't ready. I'm asking you to go to a party with me."

"I don't know." There was just so much peril in that move. So very much that could go wrong. "Why do you want to go with me?"

"It is a party. You need to have fun and I would like to get to know you better."

Should I? Perhaps Eric was waiting to talk to me there, but I couldn't see why he just wouldn't come here, or call me, if he was ready to talk. But Pam and Godric both seemed to think I should go, and that made me wonder even more.

It came down to me simply being too tired of my internal debate to keep it up any longer. Making a snap decision, I gave Godric my answer.

"Yes, I will go." Heavenly Jesus, I hoped this wouldn't be a colossal mistake.

"You will?" The vampire displayed a little uncharacteristic surprise. "Excellent. I will pick you up at 9:30."

"Okay." I couldn't back out now. "I'll be ready."

"Don't forget it's Halloween. Pam might ban you if you don't wear a costume."

"Oh, crap!" If I'd thought of that, I probably never would have agreed. What am I going to wear? Any old costume just wouldn't cut it. "I'll put something together."

Godric took his leave and I made my way back into the house. I had so much more to think about than I did when I left earlier. And now I had to come up with a killer costume in just three days.

I fell asleep that night wondering if Eric was going to wear a Viking costume. I assumed my pre-slumber musings infiltrated my dreams because I dreamed that night of a human, Viking Eric. It was strange. I very rarely ever dreamed of Eric like this. It was usually of the two of us.

Tonight I followed him in my dreams, skirting in and out of the woods as he and several comrades walked a dark road. I don't know what I was doing, really, or why, but I do know one thing for sure.

I wasn't the only one following the mighty Viking warrior.

I woke up disoriented with a strange name falling from my lips.

"Appius.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I know it's an awful spot to leave you, but that's it for now. I'll be posting another chapter later in the week as scheduled.<em>**

**_Please be kind enough to leave a few words and tell me if you're loving or hating this story._**


	35. Halloween

_**Sorry for the delay in getting this to you. When I went to post it, I realized that not only had I never edited this chapter, I hadn't actually finished one section, either. To top it all off, I realized this evening that I'd made a pretty crucial error in one part, necessitating a rewrite of a few paragraphs.**_

_**Anyway, I hope you like it. I want to thank everyone who is reading this story, and especially all of you who have taken the time to review, or have followed/favorited this story. Your support means the world. I'd really appreciate hearing what you all think of this story, and where it's going.**_

_**As always, I own nothing.**_

* * *

><p>The first order of business would be to find a costume. The clock was ticking down to Halloween and I was really afraid all the good ones would be gone. I did the most sensible thing I could do in the circumstances.<p>

I called Lafayette.

"Hey, Lala," I greeted when he answered. "What are you doing?"

"Well, my goodness gracious," he twittered back. "If it ain't the elusive Ms. Sookie Stackhouse. To what do I owe the honor, bitch? I ain't heard from you in forever."

"I know I've been an awful friend." It had been ages, I thought guiltily. "There's been so much going on, but I promise I've been missing you."

"Of course you have! Who wouldn't miss someone as fabulous as me?" We both laughed for a moment. "What's up, sugar? Why you callin' so damned early?"

Because I'd tossed and turned all night and finally gave up trying to sleep at the crack of dawn. That's what I could have said.

"I just wanted to see if you were working today. I've got to go into Shreveport to do some shopping and I wanted to see if you could go with me." I looked at the clock on the stove. It was 10:42. "And it's not that early, Lala."

"Any time before twelve is uncivilized hours, child," he drawled. "What are you shopping for?"

As I hoped, he came around with the promise of shopping. "I have to find a Halloween costume," I told him.

He actually squealed. It kinda hurt my ear, but I didn't protest.

"I'm so in on that," he agreed with enthusiasm. "I need thirty minutes to get fabulous. See you then?"

I agreed to pick him up then and hung up the phone. Fifteen minutes later, I was ready to go. I'd dressed simply in a pair of black yoga pants and scoop neck T-shirt. I wanted something easy to get on and off in the dressing room. My hair was up in a ponytail and my face was bare other than a touch of brown mascara and peach lip balm.

I set off to get Lafayette in high spirits, and the drive passed quickly. Lala and I laughed and chatted the whole way and I eventually caught him up with all that was happening with me. Interestingly, even though he was Team Sookie all the way, even he thought I should go see if Eric was ready to talk.

My spirits had plummeted considerably by the time we were finished with the first of only two costume shops in Shreveport. There had been nothing there at all, not even anything we felt was worth trying on. We drove to the next shop, my anxiety sky-rocketing. If we couldn't find anything there, my only other hope would be the cheesy costumes Walmart sells. I grimaced as I thought of wearing a Walmart costume to Fangtasia's big night. I think I'd sooner skip the party.

My hopes were rapidly fading as we rejected rack after rack of costumes. Lafayette had held up a couple as possibles, but I couldn't see going to a vampire party wearing a French maid's uniform. His Marilyn Monroe get-up met the same fate. I'd heard too many men compare me to Marilyn or Dolly Parton in their heads; I bore no resemblance to either woman other than blonde hair and big boobs. And even I didn't have boobs as big as Dolly.

I was starting to lose all hope when Lafayette held up the final choice he deemed possible.

"I think this one has potential." He gave me a saucy grin as he held it up. "It has a certain je ne sais quoi, don't you think?

"Are you mad?" My eyes bugged out with mock horror. "You want me to go to a vampire bar dressed like that?"

"What's wrong with it? You'll look good enough to eat." He protested.

"And that might be a problem, don't you think?" I asked tartly.

"Come on, Sook. Just look at it. It'll be perfect, I swear it!" Lala pleaded, his big brown eyes framed by false eyelashes fluttering like a hummingbird's wing. I could feel myself relenting, even though I wasn't sure it was the brightest idea ever.

"Let me try it on," I held out my hand petulantly. I knew I wasn't getting out of here without at least putting the damned thing on.

Hiding behind the partitioned curtains serving as a changing room, I shimmied out of my clothes and slipped the dress over my head. The pearlescent, gossamer fabric clung to me in all the right places; the bodice fitted nicely before flaring out into a skirt that fell just to mid-thigh. The skirt had layers and layers of the same filmy fabric the lined bodice was made from, only without a lining.

The effect was interesting. The tight bodice started out a green so pale as to almost appear white, but the color subtly deepened until it became a deep emerald along the handkerchief hem. There were just enough layers of diaphanous fabric making up the skirt to provide some sense of modesty, but still filmy enough to suggest transparency.

"Damn you, Lala," I muttered as I checked myself out. He was right. I did look good. The fitted, boned bodice provided ample support for the girls and managed to make my waist look way smaller than I knew it to be.

But could I wear this to Fangtasia? Every instinct told me it was a bad idea, but after seeing myself in the dress, I couldn't fault Lala for suggesting it.

A long, low wolf whistle greeted me as I stepped out of the dressing room. Lafayette nodded his head in approval.

"Told ya." His smug grin was annoying. He knew he was right, damn him.

"Okay, I do look good in the dress. But the dress isn't a costume on its own and the accessories really suck. You know they do."

"They ain't perfect, but I saw a few things at the first store that would work."

"But I'm still not sure it's right for this party." A part of me - a really stubborn, rebellious part of me - really wanted to strut into Fangtasia wearing it and be damned with the consequences. But I had enough sense to at least question it.

"You's said no to every damn one, hookah!" He pointed out. "How's about you get this one now and we'll go see if we can find the right stuff to go with it."

A long debate ended as I knew it would – with me buying the costume. A return visit to the first shop yielded the most incredible accessories, and I had to admit I looked really good.

"How about lunch?" I asked. "My treat."

"Sure." Lala agreed easily. "This boy is famished!"

We agreed on a place near the mall that housed Dillard's. I need to go there to look for a pair of sandals to go with the costume and I figured this late in the season, Dillard's might be the only place to have the kind of sandals I was looking for.

I was also sort of hoping to run into Claudine, too, but we didn't catch sight of her anywhere.

A couple of hours later, I dropped Lala home again, only after securing his promise to do my hair and make-up the evening of the party. He was working the day shift, but he promised to be there in time.

"There ain't no way in hell I'd be letting you go without it!" he'd replied to my request.

The next couple of days passed in a bit of a blur. I had nothing much to occupy my time, and that was starting to bother me. I'd really anticipated having more to do when I'd quit Merlotte's. My house was spotless from top to bottom and I spent more time reading these last two weeks than I had since I was a young teenager. I'd even gone for a run every day, but the days still melded together.

I was grateful to have a few things to do leading up to the party and I excitedly booked a day at the spa in Monroe for the day before. I'd never treated myself like that before; usually I just went to the Supercuts in Bon Temps. I needed to do this for myself, as part of my psychological war chest. I needed to walk into Fangtasia buffed, polished and confident.

The day of the party arrived cloaked in crisp, fall temperatures. The heat of the sun penetrated weakly mid-afternoon, but I knew it would be a cold night. I was really pleased I'd thought to buy a coat to wear. My old one had seen better days and really wouldn't do it.

I tried to pretend it was just another day. I made breakfast, had some coffee and put on a load of laundry. I went for a long run, jogging down Hummingbird Lane until my lungs protested and my thighs were screaming for mercy. I tossed the laundry into the dryer before climbing the stairs, only wincing once or twice.

I poured myself a bath and sank into it gratefully. I blissfully soaked away my troubles, my eyes closed and my thoughts clear. I finally moved onto the practical aspects of my bath when the water started to cool.

The razor glided over my skin with ease, shaving my legs until my skin was baby soft. As I inspected my skin for any errant stubble, my thoughts tumbled back to a moment with my dream vampire. He'd been stroking my legs as I squirmed in mortification because of the faint stubble covering them.

"I don't know why you care so much," he'd laughed. "I certainly don't."

"You don't?" I asked.

"No. It wouldn't bother me if you never shaved. This trend of shaving one's entire body is a relatively new phenomenon. For most of my life, women were more natural." He explained matter of factly.

"Well, this is one girl who plans on remaining trendy, thank you very much!"

I smiled at the memory. I didn't know how this Eric felt about it, and I wasn't sure it still mattered, but I would always be a fan of soft, smooth skin.

Lala arrived as promised with his make-up bag and hair tools in tow. He must wield a little magic of his own, because when he was finished, even I was ready to admit I looked beautiful. My make-up was soft and dreamy; he'd used a soft pink cream blush to give my cheeks a natural, dewy look, along with soft, shimmering shadow and a healthy coating of dark brown mascara. My hair cascaded in a tumble of curls, pinned back on one side with a sparkly clip Lafayette had provided.

I looked great, but I was a squirmy mess on the inside. Nerves were causing the butterflies in my tummy to dance the tango. I steeled myself as best I could and got into my car. I'd thought about it after and decided I would rather have my own car with me, just in case. I would meet Godric at Fangtasia instead. Who knew what this night might bring?

I blasted the radio and sang along, my off-key warbling bothering no one but me. It helped me not think and arrive at Fangtasia reasonably clear-headed. I steeled myself and stepped out of the car, smoothing my dress before heading for the main door. Godric was waiting for me there and I could see Pam standing just behind him. He walked forward a few steps to greet me.

"You look beautiful, Sookie," he complimented me. I smiled and thanked him.

"Hey, fairy girl," Pam's voice cut into the conversation and I looked up to see her strolling toward me with a grin on her face. "You are beautiful and you are playing with fire, my friend."

"You look magnificent, Pam," I smiled in reply. Her geisha costume had to be authentic. It was phenomenal. "And thank you, but I don't think anyone will assume I'm a real fairy. Do you?"

"No, it's quite clever in that regard." Pam looked me up and down, circling around me to get a good look at my wings. Godric looked on silently, his expression blank. "I was talking about Eric when I said you were playing with fire. You are an exquisite fairy, Sookie; the perfect vampire bait. He won't be able to resist you."

I rolled my eyes. "We'll see about that. He's gotten in some good practice lately."

"And you made the right decision by coming here tonight. One of you needs to be the grown up here," she remarked out smartly. I clamped my mouth shut and resisted the urge to point out the fact reasonable folks might assume the vampire with the millennium of life experiences might be the more mature one.

"Shall we go in?" Godric finally stepped back into the conversation, sparing me from replying to Pam. I nodded gratefully and tucked my hand through the arm he offered. The vampire on the door stepped aside and let us pass without a word.

The interior of Fangtasia had been completely transformed for the party. Black draperies hid the usual grey and red walls. Electric candelabra were hung from the ceilings, while thick white candles illuminated the tables, their liquid wax spilling over the sides to pool on the wooden tabletops. What looked suspiciously like authentic medieval torture devices were staged at random intervals around the room, some dangling from the ceiling. Eerie human skulls – I sincerely hoped they were not authentic - were placed strategically throughout the bar, their empty, sightless sockets staring at you from every direction.

I tried not to look, of course, but it was basically impossible to miss the large, brooding vampire seated on the stage. He wore no costume, not that I had expected him to. Instead, he was wearing his usual attire of jeans and a t-shirt, accessorized tonight by a black leather jacket stretching over his wide, muscled shoulders.

Godric spoke and I realized I'd entirely missed what he had to say, too caught up as I was in not looking at Eric. I leaned forward to hear him better.

"Can I get you a drink? Pam has a special drink for tonight," Godric looked slightly amused. "Something called The Vampire's Curse, I believe it is called."

I laughed out loud. Lord only knew what was in that. "I think I'll pass on the Vampire Curse," I giggled. "How about just a plain old vodka and orange?"

I watched with amusement as he turned to the bar to place my order. Instead of the usual vampire bartenders Fangtasia usually employed, tonight the bar was staffed by what looked like goblins. I suspected their 'costumes' were about as real as my fairy outfit. Gambling is not in my blood, but I'd bet real money on the fact they were real goblins.

"Let's have a seat. Someone will bring your drink." I nodded my agreement and followed behind him, weaving through the boisterous crowd. He stopped at Eric's booth and I could swear I felt Eric's eyes boring into the back of my head as I slid as gracefully as I could into the banquet seating. I steadfastly avoided looking his way, a task made all the more difficult by the fact he was seated – slouched, really – directly in my line of sight.

We chatted casually for a while, laughing and commenting on some of the costumes and get-ups people were wearing. Godric turned out to be a fun companion; his relaxed manner and his droll sense of humor made him easy to be around. I sipped on my drink as Godric entertained me with ghoulish Halloween tales from various cultures.

Other than Eric not coming to speak to me, the night was more fun than I'd anticipated. Pam stopped by for a while, joining in with Godric and relating a couple stories from past Halloween parties at Fangtasia. A particularly funny story involving Eric, a female goblin and a fangbanger dressed as Pocahontas had me laughing until tears formed in my eyes.

As entertaining as my company was, it was starting to seriously unnerve me that Eric hadn't at least come to say hello. He had invited me, after all. I was starting to think I'd made a mistake in coming here. Maybe he didn't want to see me at all.

It was getting harder to keep my shields up, too, which wasn't helping my mood. The more I stressed out, the more I had to work at maintaining them. A dull pain was forming at the base of my spine, a familiar sign a headache was on the way. I tried to relax and concentrate on the vampire's voids, but my attention span was deplorable. I was exerting way too much effort in keeping an immaculate hold on the bond between us. Call me a baby if you will, but I was afraid to know what he was feeling. He was just twenty or so feet away from me, but it felt like he was on the moon. The distance between us had never felt so great.

Pam excused herself shortly after; leaving the table and heading to the stage. A brief conversation ensued between her and Eric, but I couldn't hear it, of course. I watched with curiosity burning through me as Eric stood up and strode purposefully across the stage and disappeared through the back door.

"I believe that is my cue to take up stage duty," Godric commented glumly. "I promise you, it will only be an hour and then we will dance, okay?"

I smiled at him. I loved to dance, but I wouldn't have presumed to ask him. "That would be lovely. I'll just sit here and people watch while you are working."

"Pam will keep you company while I am occupied," he informed me as he stood up. The vampire in question appeared at his side moments later. Godric departed with an unhappy look at Pam, while she shrugged and sat across from me.

"Can I assume from your presence here tonight that you are going to talk to Eric?" Pam asked bluntly.

It was my turn to shrug my shoulders. "I think that's up to him," I told her. "And so far, it doesn't seem like he's all that interested in talking to me."

"Have you said hello to him? Waved even?" she asked pointedly.

"No, but for someone who invited me here, even sent you to make sure I'd come, he doesn't exactly seem overjoyed to see me here."

"He is working," Pam said. "And he did tell me he would speak to you later, after his meeting is done."

"Then we'll see, won't we?" My mood was bolstered just a little. I hoped she was right.

"He wants to make this right, Sookie," she assured me. "He misses you."

"Has he said so?"

"No, not in so many words. But I know Eric. Trust me, he's been missing you."

"I hope you are right, but why hasn't he come to me before now? How badly does he want to keep his secret?" That was my secret fear. I truly thought he would have come to me long before now, but now my imagination had time to run amok. With each passing day, my dread grew worse. How horrific was his secret?

"That's his story to tell," she rebuked mildly. "But it is a story you need to hear before you judge him too harshly."

"I'm not trying to judge him at all, Pam, but what do you expect me to think? I go from believing his "I'll never lie to you" routine, to finding out he's hiding something big from me. Something he refuses to tell me." I sighed and took a big sip of my drink. "The longer he goes without telling me, the worse it becomes in my head."

"Don't let it get to you," she advised with a frown. "You need to relax. We need to dance."

I grinned and nodded my head. "Sounds like a good plan," I agreed. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Everything always went in circles anyway. "Let's go."

It wasn't a surprise that Pam could dance. She had a sinuous grace and impeccable rhythm, but more importantly, she had fun while she danced. I don't think I'd ever seen her smile as much. It was infectious and I found myself getting into it and having fun. We danced for four or five songs before I had to take a break. It was incredibly warm inside the bar and I needed to get a drink, something non-alcoholic this time.

I excused myself to go to the washroom while I waited for my drink. The door to Eric's office was closed when I went into the washroom, but wide open when I came out. I stared at the open door for a long moment, not sure what to do. After a long debate with myself, I decided to be the grown-up Pam wanted me to be and I walked slowly toward the office, trying to decide what I would say to him.

All my plans were for nothing, though, when I found the office empty. I frowned as I looked around. I knew Eric never left his office open. I looked through the open door to his private bathroom, but it was empty, as well. I closed the door behind me and returned to the bar. Godric was still onstage and Pam was waiting at the booth, exactly as I had left her. Eric was nowhere to be seen.

I sat down and picked up my drink, taking a sip before speaking.

"So, where's Eric?"

"I told you. He's in a meeting."

"No, he's not," I asserted. Pam looked at me quizzically. "His door was open when I came out of the washroom. There's no one in there."

Pam frowned before looking toward the door and then Godric. "He hasn't come out here," she replied. "Excuse me for a moment, Sookie."

I watched as she not so subtly went immediately to Godric and spoke to him, her mouth a mere inch from his ear. His eyes moved fell on me for a moment before flickering away. Pam disappeared quickly in the direction of the offices, only to return and repeat the routine with Godric. Their conversation was short and Pam returned to the table.

"He's not there, is he?" I asked, hopelessness welling in my heart. Had he really left his own party to avoid me?

"No, he's not," she replied. "I don't understand it. He wouldn't leave without telling me."

"And yet, he's not here," I said. Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to give in.

"I'm sure he will return soon," Pam stated unconvincingly.

"You know what? I think I'm going to go. Clearly I'm not going to talk to him tonight."

She tried her best to talk me out of it, but my mind was made up.

I was finished with this night.

* * *

><p>ERIC<p>

The annual Fangtasia Halloween bash had become a must-attend event over the last five years. This year's event would not be open to the public, but was an invitation only affair. It wasn't as prestigious as it sounded, however, as a fair chunk of the guest list were regular customers. All vampires in the Area were required to attend for a minimum of two hours, but most stayed for the whole party.

Halloween was the only holiday most vampires recognized, or at least publicly. Privately, many still held to the traditions of their human life, but Halloween was the one night that nearly all let loose and enjoyed the festivities.

The night was in full swing. Everyone was in full costume, some highly creative but there were far too many Dracula's and Elvira's for my taste. Drinks were flowing freely and the band we'd booked for the night was as entertaining as promised. Things couldn't be better.

Unless Sookie were here.

I doubted she would accept my invitation. Even as I left it for her, I believed she wouldn't accept it. It didn't mean I didn't still hope. I yearned to see her. I resolved to tell her everything, whether or not she showed up this evening. If she didn't, I would go to her tomorrow night.

I'd tried not to think about her this evening, just as I'd tried not to feel for our bond for the thousandth time, only to feel it muted. It was difficult to accept. I'd come to enjoy the sense of feeling her inside me, and even though I could still sense her being, I could no longer feel her the way I wanted to; fully, openly, completely. I wanted to feel her warmth flowing into me again.

My eyes were scanning the bar when she walked in, but her scent was unmistakable to me, even mixed with the other two hundred bodies in the room. Shock, accompanied by a strong wave of desire, overcame me when I found her just to the right of the bar.

Arm in arm with Godric, surprisingly enough, she coolly perused the bar, her eyes seeming to take in the decorations Pam had strung with abandon. Even though my eyes bored into her, she refused to look my way, inclining her head toward Godric instead, laughing at whatever he'd whispered into her ear. I couldn't hear her laughter over the band and the noise from the crowd, but the sound echoed in my head all the same. Her laughter was precious to me, for reasons I still struggled to understand.

I shook my head as I took in her daring costume. Sheer silver wings played peekaboo on her back, only visible to me when she moved in certain ways. Only Sookie Stackhouse would walk into a vampire bar dressed as a fairy, albeit one of the Tinkerbelle variety. A beautiful, sexy, desirable fairy; one that smelled like honey and sunshine in a pretty blonde bottle.

Many eyes were trained on her, but she took no notice of any save Godric. His arm went around her waist as he escorted her to my private booth and moments later a drink was delivered to her table by a waitress dressed as an eighteenth century serving wench. She sipped on it now and then, but clearly was not drinking to become intoxicated. Minutes ticked by as I watched her laugh and talk easily with Godric. Her eyes didn't as much as flicker in my direction, even though Godric seated her so she was facing me.

Pam joined their party after a while, although she at least acknowledged me before sitting. The two vampires sat and listened to whatever story Sookie was telling. She looked relaxed, her face animated. I wondered if she would stay that way should I crash their party.

My spine stiffened as three people I knew weren't on the guest list walked through the door with Chow on their heels, a scowl on his face. I was expecting them, however, and I motioned for Chow to escort them to my office.

They were witches. They were also a gigantic pain in my ass. The leader called herself Hallow and alluded to the fact she was extremely powerful, but I couldn't care less. They'd been making ridiculous demands of me, my business and my money. Her latest negotiating tactic had been to offer to lower her demands in return for a week spent in my bed.

It was a fucking laughable thought, even had Sookie not been a factor in my life. I'd done many things in my life, including fucking for personal gain, but I would never permit someone to blackmail me into it. Now that Sookie was a part of my life, this disagreement aside, the only fucking I did was for the pure, unadulterated pleasure I experienced in her arms. I may have been a stupid fool to get myself into this predicament with Sookie, but there was not a fucking chance in hell I would throw away what I had with her to satisfy the perverse demands of the witch.

My eyes returned to her as the sound of her laughter reached my ears. It was bubbling out of her, leaving her gasping for air, her enjoyment and pleasure obvious on her face. Her fingers came up to wipe at her lower lashes, stemming the tears I could almost smell. She was so beautiful, so right, so fucking perfect for me. Every little thing about her was appealing. She was attractive on every level possible, from her radiant beauty to her warm, kind heart.

It was in that precise moment, as I watched her laugh and talk with my maker and child, even daring to elbow Pam in the ribs at one point, that I finally put two and two together and finally made sense of what I was feeling for her. It was love.

I loved her.

It had to be love. There was nothing else, no other word or descriptor grand enough to contain the deep, turbulent waves of feeling I experienced with her. No matter what the circumstances, her very presence always brought a soothing, unexpected warmth to my cold heart. I felt connected to her in ways even the blood tie between us couldn't explain. I loved her.

I called Pam to my side and told her I was going to meet with the witches.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked. "Godric is going to come to the stage once you leave; I was going to stay with Sookie."

"No, you stay. I can handle them on my own." I hesitated, not sure what to say. "Tell Sookie I will speak with her later. Do not tell her who I am meeting with."

Pam nodded her head. "I will stay with her until you return."

I gave a curt nod, and with one final, unreciprocated look at the love of my life, I got up and strode through the crowd to my office. I planned on keeping this meeting short. I had some serious explaining to do to Sookie.

I also needed to tell her how much I loved her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Damned witches. You know they just have to pop up and complicate everything even further. What do you think? Please be kind enough to let me know.<strong>_

_**Thanks for reading.**_


	36. Lost and Found

_**I was nervous about this chapter, especially considering it's a short one. This is Eric's POV after he is cursed, and even though I usually enjoy writing him, I found this one difficult. Please be kind enough to let me know what you think, bearing in mind this version of Eric is sticking around for a few chapters, at least.**_

_**All characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. I own nothing.**_

* * *

><p>I am a void, a great yawning chasm filled with emptiness. There is nothing but darkness, but still, I run, the echo of bare feet slapping on pavement the only sound in the night. Blood stains the asphalt and pain echoes through my body with every step I take, but still, I run.<p>

The tree-lined road I travel is unfamiliar, but it will take me where I need to go. I know this as surely as I know the sun will rise. I run with a single-minded purpose toward my unknown destination. I run quietly, my steps sure and steady until a rumble of noise shatters the stillness of the night. My head swivels to look over my right shoulder. A bright light bears down on me quickly; the light grows larger and brighter until I am bathed in its glow. For the first time I can remember, my feet falter beneath me and I come to a stop.

"Eric?" A sweet, feminine voice rang through the stillness of the night. My unbeating heart seized in my chest. "Eric? What are you doing out here?"

A tingle in my gums preceded my fangs snapping into place and panic welled over me as I saw the slight girl emerge from her car. I didn't want to do her harm. She knew me. Perhaps she was the only being who did.

"Stay back, woman." I growled, trying desperately to will my fangs back into my gums.

"What's the matter with you?" Showing absolutely no fear, my unlikely saviour marched toward me with determination in her step. Her sweet scent washed over me and a warm feeling of familiarity flooded through my senses. Confusion reigned when she stopped in front of me, anger on her beautiful face and her small hands planted firmly on rounded hips.

"If you expect me to have a civil conversation with you, Eric Northman, you'd best put those fangs away." Her unexpected order achieved what I was unable to accomplish through willpower alone. With a soft click, my fangs snapped back into place.

"You know me?" I questioned, my eyes focused on hers intently. While she did not look familiar, she absolutely felt it. With the familiar way she was addressing me, I was willing to wager she knew me well.

"Do I know you?" Her incredulous tone matched the look on her face. "What kind of game are you playing here?"

"It is no game, woman." I replied stiffly.

"Yes, I know you. You are Eric Northman." The name meant nothing to me, just as I feared. But the fact this gorgeous creature knew me gave me hope.

"Are you mine?" She smelled like me, and something else very familiar.

"You really don't know who you are, do you?" Side-stepping my question, the girl took a step closer and peered up at my face. Her beauty was even more pronounced this close. "OK. I think it's best if we get you into the car. We can go to my place and figure this out." She hesitated for a scant moment. "You won't hurt me, will you?"

I gazed at the dainty beauty in front of me, the slight slip of a girl who stopped for a vampire in the middle of the night. I wondered briefly if it were she I was running to. At this moment, she was the center of my universe. I would follow her anywhere she led.

"I will not harm you." I spoke solemnly, the words feeling more like an oath on my lips. She felt like salvation. I would not allow any harm to come to her.

"Well, let's get going." She briskly rubbed her arms with her hands and I noticed she was wearing very flimsy clothing for the coolness of the night. I nodded my head in agreement, wondering if I were making the right decision.

Leading me to the side door, she opened it and removed a set of silver wings from the seat before indicating I should get in. Returning to the driver's side, she tossed the wings into the backseat before getting in.

I folded my long frame into her small car, sighing with relief as the pain in my feet receded just a little. Breathing deeply to gain control over the pain, I quickly encountered a different kind of agony. In such close quarters, her scent enveloped me in a silken caress, her sweetness permeating my very pores. My fangs ached to descend, but my willpower held them at bay. I didn't want to offend my fiery savior.

"Do the windows open?" I asked gruffly.

"Well, yeah, of course they open." The woman looked at me with confusion on her lovely face. She slowly rolled down her window a few inches. "Is this good?"

"Thank you." The fresh air diluted her sweetness, but it was for naught. Her tantalizing scent clung to everything. "Why do you have wings in your car?"

"I was at a Halloween party earlier; your party, actually. The wings were part of my costume," she explained.

"What was your costume?" I asked, curious about what she wore beneath her thin coat. "Were you with me at the party?"

"I was dressed as a fairy," she replied, giving me a sideways glance before returning her eyes to the road. "And, no, I was not with you at the party. I was there as your maker's guest."

A stillness came over me as dread filled my soul. Her eyes shot to me again and I looked at her silently while I digested her information.

"Do you belong to my maker?" I asked.

"No," she said firmly and the crushing feeling in my chest disappeared. "I belong to myself."

I stared out the window, watching the dense underbrush fly by as I considered her statement. We travelled a mile or so further down the road before the car slowed. I turned to look at my rescuer, studying her profile. Was I really this close to her when she came upon me, I pondered as she took a right hand turn and slowed the car to a crawl. Was she who I was seeking? Would I have known to turn here? The car bounced and jolted up a long driveway which had seen better days. She drove the obstacle course like a pro, avoiding pot holes and ruts with an ease that spoke of experience.

"We're here," she announced as she parked the car along the far side of the house. Pulling the keys from the ignition, she stuck them in the tiny silver bag she carried and made to get out of the car. "Let's go in and figure this out."

Light had flooded her yard as we pulled up and I glanced up to see the motion activated security lights mounted on the roof of the porch. I looked around curiously. This was a very secluded place. I wondered about her safety in such a remote area.

"You live here alone?" I asked her, watching as she climbed the stairs in high heeled, strappy silver sandals. She walked gracefully across the wooden floorboards with my eyes following her every swaying move.

"Yes," she replied as she unlocked the door. "My Gran passed away a while back, so it's just me now. My brother lives in our parent's old house."

"You have a brother?" No sister of mine would live like this, I thought as my quick eye took in the rotting floorboards of the porch, the peeling paint on the old wooden clapboard. The house had seen better days, certainly.

"Yes, Jason." She replied absently as she walked through the front door and into the house. I stood on the porch and waited. When I didn't follow, she looked back. "Aren't you coming in?"

"You need to invite me in," I said somewhat stiffly.

"You already have an invitation, Eric." She looked me directly in the eye. "You've been here before."

I walked through the door and into her home. The interior proved to be in better shape than the exterior. The meticulous care and pride of ownership was evident. The aging house was seeped in her scent, but there was a faint undercurrent of me in the air. I'd absolutely been here before. The thought came with comfort attached.

"Thank you." I felt a swell of gratitude move through me and even without my memory, I knew it to be an unusual feeling for me. I wondered who this girl was to me. She'd cleverly avoided answering my question earlier, but she smelled strongly enough of me for me to think she carried my blood. Again, I felt this was an unusual circumstance, even though I had nothing to base my assumptions on.

"For what?" she quizzed, blue eyes staring at me. She unbuttoned her coat and slid it off her shoulders, revealing her fairy costume. Even without the wings attached, she was a stunning vision. Why was I not with her at my own party? Why was she with my maker when it was my blood in her veins?

"For taking me in." I wondered again if I had indeed been running to her. Had my blood been calling me to her?

"You would have done the same for me." She waved it off, acting as if her act of generosity had no meaning. Looking down as she unbuckled her sandals, her eyes connected with my bare feet and a yelp sprang from her throat.

"Where are your shoes, Eric? Oh my God, you're bleeding everywhere!"

I looked down as well and frowned at the bloodstains on the floor. "I'm sorry. I will clean it up," I offered immediately.

"I'm not worried about the mess. Let me see your feet. Come into the kitchen." She took my hand with her much smaller one and pulled me into the kitchen. Pointing at a chair, she commanded me to sit. "Sit down. I'm going to get some soap and water."

She turned around and then slowly turned back to face me again. "Your jeans are a mess, too. I can wash them for you if you want," she offered.

I stood and undid the button on my jeans, my fingers finding the zipper and sliding it down. A quick motion later and I was holding the offending garment out. They were quite dirty.

"Sweet Jesus," she gulped, averting her eyes. I scented the blush forming under her skin before my eyes registered it. The delicate pink flush only enhanced her natural sweetness. "Let me get you something to cover up with."

She grabbed the jeans from my out-stretched hands and disappeared without another word. I sat back in my seat and waited patiently for her to return. Interestingly, I could track her movement through the house in my blood, as well as with my physical senses. I wondered about the reasons why she had my blood as I waited for her to return.

"Here you go." She returned with a basin in her hands and a blanket tucked under her arm. Laying the basin on the table, she thrust the woolen blanket toward me. I stood and took it from her, shaking it out before throwing it around my body. She kept her eyes averted until I was covered. Even then, her enduring blush remained.

I sat down, the itchy fabric bunching uncomfortably around my neck. She filled the basin with water and returned to the table. To my surprise, she knelt at my feet and placed the container of water next to me. She picked up my foot gently, lifting it and making soft noises of disapproval as she saw the few remaining cuts. I didn't point out I was mostly healed by now. I found I didn't want her to think about how badly I was hurting when she found me.

I watched in silence as she carefully attended to my injuries, excusing herself to get a pair of tweezers at one point. She apologized softly for causing me more pain as the tweezers did their job and three sharp stones fell from the soles of my feet. I could feel the skin and underlying tissue begin to knit itself together.

Her fingers tenderly stroked the closing wounds as she washed away the remaining traces of blood. It was an intimate, personal moment. An unfamiliar tightness built in my chest as I watched her care for me. Her touch unleashed an immense flood of emotion through me; feelings I was unprepared for and ill-equipped to deal with. They pressed insistently at me and through me, ravaging me until all I felt was pain.

I spoke without thought, exposing myself without considering the consequences.

"Why does it hurt so much when I look at you?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there you have it. The next chapter is from Sookie's perspective. I'd really appreciate it if you all could give me some feedback on this one.<strong>_

_**Thanks again!**_


	37. Family

As always, I own nothing.

* * *

><p>I looked up automatically, searching for any sign of a wound I might have missed earlier. My hands continued their task, methodically drying first the right and then the left of Eric's huge, wet feet.<p>

Some part of my brain wondered how long ago it was that I'd been sitting with Lafayette giggling like a teenager about the size of Eric's feet and the correlation to other parts of his anatomy. I had to stifle a fresh giggle as I recalled the tiny red bikini underpants Eric was sporting tonight. I just couldn't fathom how such a tiny scrap of fabric could hold the gracious plenty I knew lurked beneath.

"What hurts, Eric? What do you mean?" I got my mind out of the gutter and back to Eric.

"It burns, right here, every time I look at you." His massive fist pounded gently against the area above his heart and suddenly, my heart didn't feel so good, either. I busied myself with the pan of dirty water, rising from my position at his feet to clean up.

"I don't know, Eric. You never told me of anything like that happening before." I took the coward's way out and waited until my back was to him to speak. I was keeping tight control over the bond, not wanting to freak him out with that right now. I wonder if he could feel me at all, and if he could, did he know it was me he was feeling?

"You have my blood." Well, there's one answer. "You are mine?" And there's the one I didn't want to answer.

"I've had your blood, yes. You gave it to me once to save my life, and a second time to save me from your Queen."

"Why did you need saving?" He rose to his feet at the suggestion of harm. I guessed the soles of his feet must have healed completely because there wasn't a hint of pain as he strode across the kitchen.

"It's all in the past now, Eric," I soothed as I dried my hands on a tea towel decorated with small yellow ducks. I hung the towel back on its hook and tried to avoid the issue even further. "I think it's time to call Pam."

"Who is Pam and why do you want to call her?" I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine when I heard the fear in his voice.

"Pam is your child, as well as your second-in-command. You are her maker and the two of you have a very close relationship. I'm sure she'll be worried about you, and she might know something about what happened to you."

"You trust her?" The uncertainty in his tone was heartbreaking. This was not the Eric Northman I knew.

"I do trust her." I reached out my hand and grasped his, giving it a quick squeeze for reassurance before letting go again. "And you trust her, too. You told me I could trust her with my life, so I think we can trust her with yours right now. She will know how to reach Godric, as well. He's your maker," I explained quickly when I saw the confusion cross his face. "We can trust him, too."

"I don't trust anyone except you right now." His simply spoken words were like a dagger to the heart. I had to keep reminding myself this was not my dream vampire, nor was it the Eric Northman I knew. This beautiful, strong, tall man standing in my kitchen was as much a mystery to me as he was to himself.

"You can always trust me, Eric," I said with complete sincerity. No matter which Eric he was, I would never allow harm to befall him. I loved at least one of them. "Now, let's call Pam."

I tried to ignore his pacing and hovering as I looked up Fangtasia's number and dialed. It seemed like it rang forever before anyone picked up, and when they did, I was glad it was Belinda who answered and not Ginger. That poor girl had been glamoured so often her brain was like Swiss cheese, with holes everywhere. I was truly amazed she had enough functioning brain matter to dress herself in the morning.

I asked to speak to Pam, only to be told she couldn't be disturbed. I politely identified myself to the waitress, and fibbed a little, telling her Pam was expecting my call. After a little sweet talking and reassurances she wouldn't be in any trouble at all for interrupting her, the beleaguered barmaid brought the cordless to Pam's office. I heard her tentative knock on the door and Pam's snarly reply. I was proud of Belinda when she followed through and delivered the phone into the lion's den.

"Who is this?" Pam was anything but friendly when she took the phone.

"It's Sookie, Pam."

"Oh, Sookie – it's actually not a good time, I have a lot going on here. What did you need? Eric is not here, if you are looking for him." Pam was clearly stressed, if her tone was any indicator.

"Actually, that's why I was calling." I hurried into my explanation before she could cut me off. "I know Eric is not there. Are you having trouble finding him?"

"His whereabouts are somewhat – guarded at the moment." Pam clearly understood my reluctance to speak freely. "It is an aggravating situation, my friend. If I can call you that."

"You can call me a friend," I confirmed. "Why don't you stop by after work and we can talk some more?"

"If that's what you would like." Pam agreed, but her tone remained very guarded. I knew she wanted more answers than I was willing to give over the phone.

"I promise to make it worth your while." I tried to reassure her as much as I could without giving anything away.

She hung up after assuring me she would see me later. I turned to Eric, relief on my face.

"She will be here soon, I would say." She agreed she'd see me after work, but I was sure she'd slip away the moment she could. "We could watch a movie or something until she gets here."

Eric followed me into the living room and settled himself stiffly into the corner of the sofa. I stated rifling through my DVD collection and held up a couple of options. Eric stared for a moment before shrugging his massive shoulders.

"It doesn't matter, Sookie. I would actually like it if we could talk some. Maybe you can tell me something about who I am before these other people come for me." He looked so forlorn, and his fear when he spoke of the "other people" coming for him sealed the deal. I slid the DVD's back onto the shelf and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"Sure, Eric. I will tell you what I can. But these other people are your family, and they can tell you everything you need to know."

"I feel it right here," he again indicated the space above his heart, "that you are my family. My blood rests inside your heart."

I ignored the fluttering in my own heart and tried to distract him. "You are a well-respected member of the vampire community. You are over a thousand years old, and that makes you a very powerful vampire. Your maker is over twice your age. Pam is the only vampire child you have, or the only one you've ever told me about."

He nodded as I spoke. "It's not like I remember, exactly, but I feel these are new times. I feel old, in a way."

"You're also the Sheriff of Area Five. That means you answer to the Queen, but other than that you are your own boss. You look after the vampires in your area and you run your businesses. I think you are pretty wealthy, although I don't know for certain. You and Pam run Fangtasia, a vampire bar in Shreveport."

"I know we are in Louisiana, but I don't know why I know that. This is not where I am from, where I spent my life." Eric nodded to himself, pleased with every bit of knowledge clicking into place.

"Yes, we are in Bon Temps, Louisiana. It's a small little town in the north. It's part of Area Five. And no, this is not where you're from. As a human, you lived in Sweden during the Viking era. After becoming vampire, you spent many centuries in Europe. You travelled a lot though, and spent time in many places."

"Tell me how we met." He looked at me directly and I felt my insides mush just a little. I didn't want to keep any of it from him, but I didn't want to talk about it, either.

"I was attacked and badly beaten. You were the one who found me and you gave me your blood to heal me."

"I did?" He looked astonished. "Had we ever met prior to this?"

"No, it was the first time we ever met. Why?" I was a little curious about his reaction. It was not what I expected.

"I think it would go against every vampire instinct to spill blood over an injured, unknown human." He looked thoughtful, and I wondered how much he remembered of vampire protocol, and things like that. "Did I ever tell you why I did such a thing?"

I shrugged. "Not really. When I asked you told me you weren't in the habit of handing out your blood, and I was the only human to have it. You said you couldn't explain why you did it."

He didn't say much for a few moments, but instead sat and just looked at me. I was starting to squirm under his gaze when he spoke again.

"I went against my Queen for you?" He sounded less surprised by this than he had shown over the circumstances of our meeting.

"I wouldn't say you went against her, no." I didn't want him to think I was some hussy leading him down a treasonous trail. "Your Queen wanted my services, and she has them. You just made sure she had to go through you to obtain them."

His eyes narrowed as he listened to my hasty explanation. I couldn't grasp what he was feeling at the moment, but he looked more like a vampire than he had all evening. I shivered as I began to wonder just how safe I was with him.

"Don't do that." His voice was sharp and his words unexpected. I jolted in my seat.

"Do what?" I whispered back at him, my eyes wide. I couldn't still the fear that was starting to slither through my veins.

"Don't look like you are scared of me." His gaze was direct and it pained me to see the hurt in his eyes. "I give you my word, I will not harm you. You are my entire world right now."

I stared at him, not sure how I should react. I knew in my heart he wouldn't hurt me, but my brain was proving to be a suspicious bitch lately. I was saved from the awkwardly lengthening silence by the sound of a car coming up my rutted gravel driveway. Instead of replying, I got to my feet and went to the door. As I suspected, Pam was here early.

"Your world just got larger, Eric." I said softly. His frame tensed as he sensed the newcomers on my porch. He looked so frightened, I felt sad for him. "Don't worry. They love you."

"If you say so." He nodded slowly, even if his disbelief was clear on his face. He stood and joined me by the front door.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

"Yes." His one word reply was firm. I threw open the door to greet Pam and Godric.

"Eric! Thank God!" Pam sped through the open door and wrapped her arms around Eric. I could see him stiffen in her grasp. There was a silent plea for help in the blue eyes he turned to me.

"Maybe we could all move to the living room?" I hoped Pam would loosen her hold on Eric and she did. It was an odd move from her, anyway. Pam never struck me as the touchy feely sort.

I ushered my vampire visitors into the room ahead of me and watched as both took possession of the worn wingback chairs facing the sofa. I took my place on the sofa and was surprised when Eric lowered himself to the floor just barely beside me, but mostly in front of me. He regarded his maker and child with distrust and had obviously positioned himself between me and them. The sweetness of the gesture didn't go unnoticed. Pam's eyebrows took flight and landed near her hairline when she looked at Eric's position at my feet. Godric allowed a small smile to grace his boyish features before getting serious.

"Can you tell us what happened, my son?"

"No." His reply was simply, but confounding for his visitors. I knew he wouldn't elaborate further.

"What Eric is trying to say," I paused to give him a chance to protest my relating his story, but he remained silent. "He doesn't remember what happened. We were hoping you could tell us what happened."

"Recently, a local coven has been trying to stir up trouble with Eric. Their demands have been a mix of outrageous and bizarre." Godric's calm demeanor was helpful to my fraying nerves. "The last we saw of Eric was when he went into a meeting with them earlier, while we were at the bar. Eventually Pam went to see what was taking so long, but the office was empty. A strong scent of magic was present, but Eric and the witches were both gone."

"Is it normal for witches to threaten vampires?" Even with magic to back you up, it was always dangerous to mess with vampires.

"No, not what I would call normal, but occasionally a coven will get greedy. It's been known to occur." His expression was one of contemplation as he spoke again. "It did seem their interest was more personal, though. What is the last thing you remember?"

"I remember nothing until Sookie found me. I was nothing before that moment." Eric's words were so simple it took a moment for their true meaning to be absorbed.

Pam opened her mouth to speak, but Godric beat her to it. "You have no memories at all?"

"None before running on that road."

"Which road? Where did you find him?" Pam looked at me, just as her question was directed towards me. I wondered if it were because she understood Eric wanted nothing to do with them, or if she thought he was incapable of giving her the information she wanted.

"He was running down Hummingbird Lane, about a mile or so up the road. He was barefoot, wearing only a pair of jeans."

"He was here, in Bon Temps?" Pam questioned with arched brows. She and Godric exchanged what seemed to be a significant look. "He probably wasn't being followed, then."

"No, I would have seen another car, but it was completely deserted at that hour. If someone had been following him, Hummingbird Lane was deserted enough to try something." The very thought made me feel cold and clammy. "You should be able to get him somewhere safe without anyone knowing where he is."

"Actually, we think it is best if Eric stays here." Pam interjected, holding up a hand before I could get too worked up. "We can't be sure what happened to him before you found him. We don't know how powerful these witches are. I'm sure they won't look for him here."

"You can't be serious, Pam! Surely he would be better off with one of you to protect him!" I looked around at the three of them. This was the last thing I needed. I still had a long ways to go with figuring out how I really felt about him. Having a third version to deal with would be too much.

"We will arrange for daytime protection to arrive before dawn. You can trust the guards, but there is no need for you to even see them if you choose." Godric spoke again, and I realized everyone was pretty much ignoring Eric again.

"If I say yes, how long is this for?"

"Until we find the witches."

"Do you know where to find them? How long will it take?" My brain was spinning out of control, imagining all the things that could go wrong.

"We know where they were living before, but they have not shown up there so far. We have our people watching known residences and places of business. We will know if they are spotted."

"So, while you guys are searching for these witches, what do you expect me to do with Eric? There's no light-tight space here."

"Is there a crawl space?" Pam questioned, one eyebrow raised. I think she knew I was reaching for excuses.

"Well, yes, there is." And there was access through a trapdoor in Jason's old room, I remembered. Jason used to store his collection of Playboy's down there when he was still living here.

"Well, he can stay there for the night." Pam smiled at me sweetly, too sweetly really. She knew she got me with that one.

"Okay." I tried to keep my disappointment to myself. It was hard to reconcile it all in my head, but this Eric shouldn't have to suffer because of my uncertainty towards another Eric. My head felt like it was going to explode any minute.

"With that settled, how do you want to handle the feeding situation?" Pam grinned at me, obviously enjoying my discomfort.

"What do you mean?" I stuttered. I was pretty sure I knew what she meant, and I so didn't want to go there right now.

"Will you be providing nourishment for my master, or should I arrange for donors?" I gasped, shocked she would take it so far. I could feel my cheeks turning pink as Eric stiffened before craning his head around to meet my embarrassed eyes. I wanted to look away, but he held me easily with his mesmerizing gaze.

"I think bagged blood will suffice for now, Pamela." Godric's reprimand was clear.

"I am fine. If you could arrange bagged blood for me for tomorrow, I should be fine." Eric spoke and everyone listened. He had said so little during the meeting. "If you are finished trying to make the woman who saved me, and has been so kind as to give me shelter, feel embarrassed, I suggest you get out there and start looking for the ones responsible."

"Yes, sir." Pam bobbed her head to Eric and turned to me. "Sorry, Sookie. I shouldn't have gone so far, but you know me. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"I know, Pam." I just wanted to end the entire discussion and I took the chance to change the subject. "When you come back tomorrow, you're going to need to bring some clothes and shoes for him."

"Yes, I will remember. One or both of us will be back shortly after sunset to keep you informed and drop off what he will need."

I nudged Eric with my knee to indicate I needed him to let go of my leg and let me up. He sprung up to his feet first and offered me his hand. I walked our guests to the door with Eric shadowing my every move from a foot away. We said our good-bye's at the door and Godric and Pam assured Eric they would do everything they could to make the situation right.

And then we were alone; left standing together in my foyer. I nervously shuffled back and forth a little, not sure what we should do now. I remembered the crawl space and decided to show him where the trapdoor was.

"Come on. I'll show you where you will rest for the day. We can put some blankets and pillows down to make it more comfortable."Jason's old room was just a short walk down the hallway and in just a minute I was pulling the rug aside to show him the trapdoor and how to open it.

Luckily, Gran had long ago converted Jason's old closet into storage space, and there was a pile of old quilts lying just within reach. Grabbing a couple, I shook them out before folding them lengthwise and placing them in the cubby hole. Returning to the bedroom, I took the pillows from the bed and brought them back to add to the makeshift bed.

"There. That should do it." I stood up, pleased with my efforts. It wasn't much, but it was better than sleeping on the bare ground underneath.

"Thank you." He stood very still, his hands clasped behind his back as he regarded the sleeping quarters I'd fashioned for him.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry it's not much."

"If you hadn't found me, I would have gone to ground, still just an empty shell unaware of even his name. I am grateful for your hospitality." There was something heartbreaking about his direct gaze; his apparent acceptance of his circumstances. Honesty shone like a beacon from his brilliant, guileless blue eyes.

"I'm happy to help." And I was, regardless of my ambivalent feelings. I hated the idea of him going to ground, alone and scared. I was happy to have him safe and sound. I just wasn't so sure about this much togetherness at this point in time. I would stand by him for as long as he needed me, but I truly feared for me heart around him.

I walked out of the closet, and again, he followed my every step. We walked through the bedroom in silence which continued until we reached the foyer again.

"It's been a long day and I am going to go get ready for bed. I'm not sure how much longer until sunrise, but feel free to watch some TV or read some of the books in the living room while you wait."

He nodded again and stood still. I felt bad leaving him, but I really had to get some sleep. Daytime protection or not, I won't be caught sleeping tomorrow. I went on upstairs and got ready for bed. After a quick shower, I ventured out to the top pf the stairs and listened. I could hear the TV on – Anderson Cooper on CNN, I think – but couldn't hear anything from Eric. I could sense his void downstairs and a check on the bond told me he was in a deeply contemplative mood. That much could be expected and I found myself nodding in approval of what I was feeling. Most of the fear had receded, and even if he felt a little lonely, it was to be expected, too.

I fought the urge to go to him and instead crawled into bed. Sleep eluded me as thoughts of Eric's situation danced through my head. Even if we know who did this, there has to be a why. Godric was right, this seemed very personal. If the witches were responsible, which was the only logical conclusion, the logical next step would be to know why. Were they working on their own, or had an enemy of Eric's hired them to do this? Did Eric even have enemies like that?

I was lost in thought when I heard the soft squeak of the fourth stair. It could only mean Eric was coming. I tried to still my breathing, but I knew he would know I was awake. I rolled over to face the door I'd left partially ajar and seconds later the small space was filled with Eric's large frame.

"What is it, Eric?" I propped myself up on my elbows as his head came around the door.

"I was wondering – I don't feel like being by myself right now." He looked utterly forlorn, standing there with his head hung low. "Do you think it would be okay if I stayed with you until the sun comes?"

I was startled by his request. The Eric I knew would be loath to admit a weakness, even one as temporary as loneliness.

"Of course. I'm going to try to get some sleep, but you are welcome to stay here with me." I don't know if I misunderstood his initial request, or if he misunderstood my response, but the next thing I know, Eric is sliding into the bed, settling his golden head back against his pillows. I stared at him for a moment, fighting back the well of pain which was threatening to overflow. It hurt so much to see him like this.

"Thank you, Sookie." He spoke quietly into the silence of the room.

"You're welcome, Eric." I settled back into bed, arranging the covers modestly over us, even though we were both fully dressed. After fussing for a few moments, I laid my head back onto the pillow beside his and we both stared at my white ceiling in silence.

No further words were spoken between us. I don't know how long we lay in silence until sleep took me, but I could swear that just as I was drifting off, I felt a large, cool hand slide over my own. I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep holding hands with my vampire.

* * *

><p>So, how was it? Hope you like Sookie's POV, as confused as she is – as they both are – right now. Please let me know what you think.<p> 


	38. Witches in the Kitchen

_**In honor of this story reaching an amazing milestone of over 500 reviews, I decided to celebrate and post another chapter early. When I started writing this story so long ago, I didn't think reviews mattered so much. I've come to realize how important it is to hear from readers, to be motivated by their enjoyment of this story. Each and every one of you who has been kind enough to share their thoughts have meant the world to me. It is your words providing the inspiration to continue this story and see it completed.**_

_**Thank you.**_

_**As always, I do not own these characters. They are the creation of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball.**_

* * *

><p>I woke with a start, panicked to see the sun streaming through the lacy curtains. A quick check confirmed the obvious; Eric was gone, presumably seeking his makeshift cubby at dawn. The bedside clock read 8:17 and I groaned as I thought of how many hours of sleep I was missing.<p>

Forcing myself up, I made my way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. I had my head inside the fridge, trying to decide if I wanted eggs or not, when the snarly, red brain lurking just outside the door registered in my head. I figured it had to be the daytime guard Godric was going to arrange, but I grabbed the butcher knife from its place in the wooden block, just in case. I held it just behind my thigh as I opened the door only a crack.

"Can I help you?"

A pair of brilliantly green eyes met mine as the tall, well-built stranger turned around from his position at the top of the porch steps. His eyes were clearly his best feature, but the rest of him tried real hard to keep up. Tall, dark and handsome was gorgeous as he smiled at me in the morning sunshine, but I always was partial to blondes. I politely smiled back as he began to speak.

"I'm Alcide Herveaux, ma'am. I hope we didn't wake you." He was looking me over really good, too, but not in a flirtatious way. It was more like he was sizing up how much trouble this job might be.

"Not at all. I planned on being up early this morning." I edged the door open just a little further. "What can I help you with?"

"Oh! Sorry. You are Sookie Stackhouse?" I nodded my head in reply. "I'm the head of your daytime guard. I was asked to give you this." He held out a small piece of paper and I took it cautiously. A note from Pam, assuring me he was who he claimed to be and informing me I would have a visitor this afternoon. No explanation.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Herveaux. I sure do appreciate you putting yourself out like this."

"Think nothing of it. My men and I do this kind of work often. Now that you are up, I'll get them started on the work."

"What kind of work?" I was baffled. I didn't expect there to be more than one guard, and even though I appreciated the protection additional men represented, I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"We're going to paint the exterior of the house while we are here. And before you say anything, I was told to tell you two things. First, this gives my men something to do while they're here that won't arouse suspicion. If anyone comes to investigate you or this property, having it obviously surrounded will deter them. Second, it would be best if you stayed in the house and out of view today. If anyone does come by, we can point them off in the wrong direction by saying you're away for a few days while we work on your house."

I stared at him, wanting to get angry about something, but unable to refute the logic in his words. It was a good idea, I couldn't argue.

"Did Pam tell you to say that, too?"

"She did. She also told me to tell you to think about how pretty it was going to look when it was done." Judging by the funny way his mouth twisted as he said the word 'pretty', I was guessing it was more like a direct order from Pam to relay the message in those exact words. I couldn't help but laugh; both at the expression on this tall, burly dude's face and at Pam's belief she could sway me with pretty.

"Well, who can say no to pretty, right?" I smiled brightly at him. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee, Mr. Herveaux?"

"Actually, Miss Stackhouse, I need to give my men the go ahead and get them going first. But if you will give me ten or fifteen minutes, I'd love to join you for a cup. We can go over your situation then."

"Sure. I'll see you then." I watched him walk away to summon his crew from who knows where – I couldn't see them out there. I closed the door and took a deep breath, savoring the mouth-watering aroma of coffee wafting from the kitchen. Glancing at my PJ's, though, I knew it would have to wait. I ran upstairs and showered as quickly as I could, before towel drying and brushing my hair. After securing it into a ponytail, I dressed simply in black yoga pants and a pink T-shirt. Exactly ten minutes later I was back downstairs, pouring my first cup of coffee. Alcide knocked on my door just two minutes later.

"Come on in." I ushered him into the kitchen and seated him at Gran's old table. "Let me get you that coffee." I poured a fresh one for myself at the same time and returned to the table.

"Thank you." His gravelly voice suited his rugged handsomeness.

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do." I took a sip of my coffee as I tried to get a read on his mind. I was assuming he was some sort of two-natured because his brain patterns were a lot like Sam's. I couldn't get much, just snarly redness mixed with flashes of something here and there.

"Well, I appreciate it. My last cup was three hours ago. This is great." He took another mouthful and set the mug down in front of him. "Now, I understand this is not what you'd planned, but I can assure you my men will do a first rate job on your house. Every one of them does some kind of contracting or construction for a living. We'll get it done right and without a mess."

"How do you end up doing construction and protection at the same time?" I screwed up my face as I thought about it.

"Call it a perk of the job." Alcide gave an easy smile and had another sip. "Don't worry about a thing. We all know what we're doing with both ends of the job. Do you think the vampire would hire me otherwise?"

"How true!" I laughed easily.

"Now, I think you are totally safe here inside the house, but if you like I can station a guard inside with you."

"No," I replied firmly. "There's no need. I feel quite safe with you all here, as it is."

"We will try to stay out of your way, but if you need anything, just holler. I'll be right outside here all day." He drained the last of his coffee and stood up. Crossing to the sink, he rinsed his mug out before placing it in the sink.

"I'll do that. In the meantime, Pam's note said I should be expecting someone this afternoon." I began to explain, but with a wave of his hand, Alcide cut me off.

"I've been told and we'll show her to the door when she gets here. Don't worry." He shrugged on the heavy corduroy jacket he'd placed on the back of the chair. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Thanks, but I'm sure I'll be fine." I stood and walked him to the door. "Coffee will be on all day if anyone would like a cup."

"Probably take you up on that later." With a wave, he disappeared out the door and I puttered around the house for a few minutes, needlessly tidying my already tidy house.

Satisfied with my labors, I settled down at the table with another cup of coffee and a notepad. It was still barely ten o'clock and I had hours to fill. I may as well be productive. Picking up my pen, I began to write a list of things to do around the house. May as well start putting some of my money to good use.

An hour later, I'd compiled quite a list, ranging from a new dishwasher to new windows; new spatulas to a new bed for my bedroom. I started to feel guilty for the work being done outside. Who knew how much might have to be redone if I installed new windows and trim?

I got up and put on a fresh pot of coffee, hunting around for the big old thermos we used to bring to football games back in the day. I finally found it on the back of a shelf in the pantry and had it washed and dried by the time the coffee was brewed. Loading a tray down with mugs and cream and sugar, I brought the whole lot to the front door. Mindful of the fact I wasn't supposed to be seen, I cracked the door only slightly and called out for Alcide.

"What is it, Sookie?" He was at the door in a moment.

"Um, there was something I was thinking about. I was thinking maybe you could give me some advice?" I replied hesitantly. "Do you mind coming in for a minute?"

"Not at all." Alcide's wide shoulders pushed the door open as he stepped through. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was actually thinking about having some work done to the house. It's in desperate need of a little TLC." Understatement, to be sure. "I'd hate to see your men waste their time painting if it's only going to be ruined later."

"What is it you were thinking of?" Alcide's eyes narrowed in concentration as he pulled a small notebook from his coat pocket.

"Well, there's a lot needs to be done here, as I'm sure you can see. The roof was done a couple of years ago, and that's really the only main upgrade the house's had in decades." I explained more about what I was interested in and Alcide and I passed a few minutes discussing options for updating my old farmhouse.

"If you're looking for new windows, I'd suggest you look at those first. Once you get those installed, paint and trim can be your next step."

"And you're sure your men won't mind taking this on as a real job?" I was worried I was imposing, but Alcide assured me all of his crew would be more than happy for the work. I knew it was going to raise some eyebrows around Bon Temps, but I decided I just didn't care. Let old Mrs. Fortenberry do her worst.

"Nope. Like I said, they're all happy for the work." We discussed pricing and costs a little before agreeing Alcide would have his men measure all the windows this afternoon, while he made some phone calls to suppliers he usually dealt with. He felt he could get some new windows installed, and the siding painted, by the end of the week.

"I've got some coffee ready for you to take out there," I said, indicating the thermos and mugs I'd left beside the door. Alcide gave a grateful smile as he picked it all up and carried it out onto the porch. I could hear him calling his crew together and giving them new instructions.

It was almost 3:30 when the doorbell rang, and I 'heard' a distinctly feminine – and overly loud – brain broadcasting from my porch. I guessed my unknown guest had arrived and made my way to greet her.

"Hi there!" A pert and perky brunette greeted me as I swung the door open, her brain all but screaming most of the information I needed to know. "Are you Sookie?"

"Hello." I replied at a slightly lower volume than she'd used. "I am Sookie. And you are?"

"Oh, I'm Amelia. Amelia Broadway." She bobbed her head in greeting, sending short brown curls to flutter about her defined cheekbones. "Sorry I'm so late, but it took forever to get a couple of the ingredients we needed and traffic was hell on the interstate! We'll still have plenty of time to get our work done before the vamps come around this evening."

"Don't worry about it," I murmured an automatic response, even though I had no idea what she was talking about. "Would you like to come in? Perhaps a cup of coffee?"

"Oh, I'd love some tea, actually. I have my own brew with me, so if you can provide some water…" Amelia breezed past me and walked directly into the kitchen, just like she's been here a hundred times before. Two of Alcide's men were busy lugging the bags and boxes she'd brought with her, leaving them stacked neatly in the entranceway.

"Sure, not a problem." I place the kettle on the back burner and turned to face my guest. "Ah, Pam never really told me much about what you're doing here."

"Well, that's Pam for you! But to cut her a little slack, it was pretty late when she got a hold of me last night." Amelia riffled through a small bag stacked atop the pile in the hallway. It was literally chocked full of pouches of tea, or something similar in clear plastic bags. I was a little doubtful looking at her bags. Just how long was she planning on being here?

"What is it you do?" I prompted again. I was trying very hard to maintain the shaky shield I had erected against her mental voice, but if she didn't soon tell me, I was going to have to drop it.

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly. "I guess I maybe should have started with that. I'm a witch."

I stared at her, not sure what to make of her declaration. Obviously, I knew there were witches, but I didn't know we had any on our side.

"I've never met a witch before." I spoke out loud, but I was really still musing to myself.

"There aren't many practicing witches in this area that I know of," Amelia offered, "My coven is based in New Orleans, as are most of the serious covens in the state."

"What can you do?" I asked. "I mean, how can you help?"

"Well, honestly, Pam though it might be a good idea for me to get here early and explain some of what is going to happen. The rest of the coven will arrive in Shreveport this afternoon and will come here only when Pam needs them to."

"Okay." I took a deep breath and resisted the urge to slam my head off the table. For someone sent to explain things, she sure was taking her own sweet time about it. "So what is going to happen?"

"For right now, I'm going to start by casting some wards. Octavia – she's my mentor and the leader of our coven – she might strengthen them later, and will probably add a few of her own. By the time we are done, this place should be more secure than the White House." The witch's pretty face became very animated as she spoke of her magic, but I only had the barest hint of what she meant.

"So, to take this down to a Magic for Dummies level, what are wards?"

Amelia smiled brightly at me and I got the feeling she was delighted to play teacher. "In the most basic sense, wards are magic spells specifically designed to repel harm and anyone with ill intent. The wards we will be using here will be for that purpose, anyway. They act to ward off harm." She grinned at me. "Get it? Ward off? Wards?"

I laughed weakly at her equally weak pun. "So what does that really mean? How does it work?"

Amelia brow furrowed as she contemplated my question. "Well, you know how vampires must be invited into a human house?" I nodded at her question. "That's magic. It's kind of like all human dwellings on earth have been magically warded. And those wards have a failsafe precaution built in – if you change your mind about having a vampire in your house, you can rescind, or take back, their invite. Following me so far?"

I nodded again, following her logic well. I had wondered about the magic necessary to keep vampires from human homes.

"The magic we will perform here will give you a similar ability, but with all supernatural and humans, not just vampires. The ones I will be casting will be more of a deterrent spell, as well as containment and concealment. That's really my skill set." Pam's witchy friend looked at me with one eyebrow quirked, silently questioning if I was still following her explanation. I waved my hand to signal she should continue.

"You've probably felt the effects of a deterrent spell before, and just never knew it." Amelia pursed her lips, twisting them back and forth as she decided how to explain. "Have you ever noticed some places just don't ever appear friendly? I know, inanimate objects aren't friendly, but do you know what I mean? Ever walked past somewhere and have a tremendous urge to turn and walk away?"

"Well, sure, hasn't everyone?" I laughed. She was describing the heebie jeebie's.

"That feeling has more to do with magic than any intuition of your own, most times. The property in question has been warded to repel strangers, or outsiders. Or you know how some places just always appear abandoned, or empty all the time?" Amelia's eyes shone with excitement as she discussed her craft. "Chances are really good that many of those places were also spelled, likely with a concealment spell."

"So, there's magic happening everywhere, is that what you're saying?" I shook my head in amazement. If the young witch was right, the world was a far more magical place than I had ever given credit for.

"Magic is the core of everything, Sookie." Her expression was very serious, with a tinge of sadness around the edges. "Even if few believe anymore, life couldn't exist without magic. It's the magic ingredient, so to speak, that scientists have been trying to pin down for centuries. Of course, magic cannot be defined by science, it's more like the other way around, if you get what I mean."

I got up then and walked to the sink. Rinsing my cup out first, I poured my fourth cup of coffee and stood with my back against the counter. I thought I was following her explanations, but I will admit to being a little flabbergasted. I should have known better, of course, considering who I've been keeping company with. Vampires, Werewolves, shapeshifters, demons and now witches. Why should I be surprised to learn the world, and many of the creatures in it, contain a core of great magic, without which the wold would stop spinning?

"So, what kind of spells will you do here?" I said I silent prayer to God to protect me from errant magic, and an equally silent apology to Gran for messing with her house.

"We're going to do some spells to keep unwanted company from showing up, but the big guns will come out when Octavia and the rest of the coven arrive. At that point, it will be up to the vamps, but I would think there will be some wards enacted which will require an invitation to cross, even for humans."

"How long have you been doing this?" I was curious to know more about my first witch friend.

"Oh, I like to say forever, but really it's been more like eight or nine years." She poured herself a little more of the tea concoction she had brewed before continuing. "I'm a natural witch, and practiced a little with my mother when I was young. She died when I was a child and my father did not then and does not now approve of my 'hobbies' as he calls my magic. I was forbidden to practice when I was growing up, and honestly, with my mother gone, I had no one to practice with anyway."

"I'm sorry," I offered sympathetically. Our stories might be very different, but there were a lot of similarities between us.

"Thank you, but there's really no need. It's not like I had a horrible childhood or anything. I grew up in a privileged environment with every advantage in the world, except magic. And I have that now, so I'm alright." She nodded her head in affirmation of her words. Who was I to argue?

"How do you know Pam?"

"We met in New Orleans at a vampire event. That was about three years ago and we've been seeing each other ever since." There was a faint smile on the girl's lips as she spoke, but I'm sure my face was twisted in shock.

"Pam is your girlfriend?" I just didn't really picture Pam as the sort.

"Oh, goodness, no!" Amelia laughed easily at my confusion. "I mean, we get together when we're in the same place. Neither one of us are looking for anything serious."

"Oh!" I blushed at her candor. "I understand."

"Hey, no problems! I'm easy." She laughed again. "That sounds bad after what I just said. I'm not 'easy', just easy to get along with."

I laughed along with her, nodding my head in agreement. She was very easy to get along with. I was grateful for the company, too.

Amelia drained her tea a moment later and we started getting ready to cast some spells; or she got ready to cast spells and I fetched and carried everything she needed. I didn't mind one bit if it meant keeping Eric and I safe. It was interesting, anyway.

I watched as she mixed all kinds of herbs and roots and other unknown bits and pieces together in a large stone mortar, grinding them to a paste with the pestle. It was fascinating to watch for a few minutes until she started opening some of the small bottles she had and added drops of each to the bowl. An extremely offensive, noxious odor started to waft across the kitchen, filling my nose with its acrid stench.

I jumped up and started waving my hands in front of my face in a futile effort to find some fresh air.

"Oh my God! What is that? Is it supposed to smell this bad?" I asked, my throat burning. She laughed at my distress, seemingly unaffected by the stench.

"Sorry about that, but it will fade in about sixty seconds, just as soon as I add this." She held up a small brown bottle. "I know how you feel, though. I used to gag when I first started mixing potions."

"I don't think I could ever get used to this," I said firmly before grabbing a tea towel to hold over my nose. I wasn't sure I trusted whatever was in that bottle to clear this stench in seconds.

"And, presto, chango – voila!" Amelia carefully measured five drops with a glass dropper and added the golden liquid to the mix. I stared at her doubtfully, towel still held across my nose. I watched as she took a deep sniff of the air and nodded. Slowly I lowered my towel.

"Now that's what I call magic." I said appreciatively after I cautiously sniffed the air. She had been telling the truth. Other than a lingering background note, the air smelled fresh, maybe even a little sweeter than before.

Before long, Amelia was clearing up her things and bottling the potion she had made. I watched as she poured the sludgy liquid into three separate glass jars. She refrigerated two of them and laid the third on the counter.

"There, all set." Drying her hands, she turned around with a satisfied look on her face. It was clear she enjoyed her work. I felt a wisp of wistfulness sweep through me. I didn't have anything that made me feel that fulfilled. "I'm going to go and start the wards for outside. For now, I'm going to stay within a hundred foot range, but Octavia may widen the perimeter later."

"Okay." I got up and started to wash up the counters. "I'll be here if you need me. Oh, I'm going to make a light dinner in a little while. Do you want to join me?"

A bright smile lit her narrow face. "That would be great." She bobbed her head enthusiastically. "I skipped lunch and casting spells still takes a lot out of me."

"I'll have something ready by 5:00." The sun was going to set an hour or so later and I wanted to be ready for whatever happened when the vampires rose.

I set to work slicing up some veggies for a salad and took the container of chicken soup Maxine Fortenberry had dropped off a while back from the freezer. I placed it into the pot and poured hot water around the container. It would thaw enough to put into the pot soon enough.

Dinner ready to go, I sat back at the table and picked up my pen and paper again. So much was going on, I was afraid I was going to forget things, or forget to ask about something I should. I started to jot down notes and before I knew it, Amelia was coming back in the door. I glanced over at the soup still thawing in the pot and sighed. I really was a terrible hostess.

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, jumping up to tend to the soup. "I lost track of time, but it will only take a few minutes to heat the soup."

"No worries," she replied breezily. "I'd love to get cleaned up anyway. Mind if I use your bathroom?"

Yeah, that's me. Terrible hostess.

"Of course. Down the hallway, first door on the right."

"Thanks. I'll be right back." She picked up a small overnight bag and disappeared down the hall.

I had dinner on the table when she got back and we both ate with gusto. The soup was great.

"So, what about you? You seeing anybody?" Amelia asked innocently.

"I – uh – well, kind of." I stuttered. "It's complicated."

"That's too bad." Pam's part-time fling reached her hand out and laid it across mine. "You want to talk about it?" Her sympathetic tone was almost more than I could take.

"I'm kind of blood tied to a vampire, but I'm not really sure where things stand with us right now." I was almost surprised Pam didn't tell her more about who I was, but I thought maybe she was trying to respect my request for space. It seemed to be a moot point now.

"Oh, my God!" Are you really?" Her eyes were round with surprise. "I've never met anyone tied by blood before!"

"Yes, I really am," I replied drily.

"That's so interesting." Her index finger tapped a rapid beat across her rounded chin. "I've always been told it's incredibly rare for a vampire to give their blood freely to a human."

"Yes, Eric told me the same thing," I replied absently. Her thoughts must have gone into overdrive because my shields were becoming increasing difficult to manage.

"Eric?" Amelia sat straight up in her chair, her back ramrod straight. "As in Eric Northman?"

"Yes." I hadn't meant to identify him until I'd spoken with Pam, but it didn't seem to matter much anyway. She'd presumably still be here when he rose, which should be very soon.

Amelia gave a low whistle. "Damn, girl! Eric Northman? You're blood tied to the Viking?" She was looking at me with curiosity all over her face, but there was an increased respect in her gaze. "I can see why you'd say complicated! How did you get involved with him?"

"Like I said, it's all pretty complicated and it's too long of a story to get into. We do share blood, but right now our relationship is kind of up in the air. We were seeing each other pretty seriously for a while, but I started to have some doubts." I shrugged, not really understanding why I was explaining this to her, a complete stranger. "We're kind of in a holding pattern until I figure some stuff out."

"Hold on – you mean you were dating Eric Northman?" The incredulous look on her face was funny. I couldn't stop the small giggle that bubbled up.

"I'm sorry, but you look so shocked. I couldn't help it. And yes, I suppose you could call it dating, even though we didn't actually go out much. We were committed to one another, if that defines it any."

"Oh, holy crap, I think I'm going to pass out here," Amelia joked, fanning herself. "You weren't dating him, per se, but you were his? And you're the one who broke it off?"

"Yes, I'm the one who asked for time, and yes, I was his, as you say. Still am his, in many ways"

"Honey, Eric Northman is a legend. If I had him in my bed, I'm not sure I'd be asking for time away. I mean, I'm sure it's hard to deal with all the other women and all, but I don't know if I'd care!" Amelia was practically salivating by this point in the conversation.

"I don't know about the legend part. I do know there have been plenty of other women before, but Eric has agreed to be mine just as much as I am his." I stated with more pride than I thought I was feeling. I didn't want her to think I was nothing more than a glorified fangbangers, just one of the masses.

"He's yours?" Amelia spluttered. "The great and mighty Eric Northman, the Viking sex god of legend, actually agreed to be monogamous and you break it off? What doubts could be that important?"

"Sex god or not, there is more to a relationship than what happens in the bedroom." I replied a bit primly. "I want to be sure of my feelings and his before I get too deep. There's more to it than I can explain right now and I need to be doubly sure of what I'm doing. There's more at stake here than sex."

"I guess," Amelia replied, a dreamy look on her face. "Can't imagine what could be that important, but whatever."

"I thought you were into women, anyway." I didn't like the way her face looked as she thought about Eric and his sexual prowess.

"Eh, I'm not picky. I don't judge, if there's attraction, there's attraction."

I was saved from having to answer when a knock sounded on the door. Excusing myself, I went to see what was happening.

"Hi, Alcide." I figured it would be him.

"Hey there, Sookie." The handsome contractor slash bodyguard smiled at me, showing his strong white teeth. "I just wanted to let you know we're getting ready to leave. We'll stay until the vampires arrive, but then we're gone. We'll be back just before dawn tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, Alcide. I really appreciate it." My reply was sincere. I had felt very safe all day. "Please extend my thanks to your men, too."

"I will do that, ma'am." Alcide turned and strode across the porch and down the stairs. I noticed the sun was barely hovering in the sky anymore and hurried inside the house. Reaching for the bond, I immediately knew he was already awake.

"Amelia?" I stuck my head back into the kitchen. "I'm going to go check on Eric, okay? He'll be up in a moment."

"He's here?" She looked shocked.

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew that." What did Pam actually tell her? "Make yourself at home. I'll be back soon."

I turned and walked up the stairs to greet my amnesiac vampire kind of boyfriend.

I wondered what the night would bring. It surely couldn't get any worse, could it?

* * *

><p><strong><em>Another chapter done. I hope you all liked it. Please be kind and let me know what you think.<em>**


	39. Leaving Home

Thanks so much to everyone who's reading this story, and especially those who've left such kind reviews and PM's. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

As always, I own nothing. All characters are the property of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball.

* * *

><p>My eyes opened to meet wooden boards a scant eight inches above my face and took immediate stock of my surroundings. There is no transition time for a vampire, no grogginess or need to hit a snooze button when we wake from our dayrest. We are instantly alert and aware of our surroundings. I, unfortunately, was also aware my memories did not return during my dayrest.<p>

My senses told me the sun was still lingering in the sky and I regretfully remained in my makeshift resting place, laying still on the blankets she had provided for my comfort. I concentrated on the scents and sounds of the house. My blood led me immediately to Sookie and I knew she was safe and well. A sense of relief trickled through me and I found myself wondering why. Why was this girl important? Who was she to me? She held my blood within her and I knew that was a rare event. I hadn't missed the deferential way my maker and child had treated her. I may be missing my memories, but I knew that was not normal behaviour.

There was something special about her, other than her striking beauty and incredible scent. She gave every appearance of being a simple human girl, but at the same time there was something that screamed at my senses, something that told me she was more, something other.

I could feel the bond between us much more clearly now than I was able to last night, could feel her very essence tickling my blood. I frowned as I concentrated on her blood inside me. The strength of the bond between us was surprising, feeling clearer and stronger than even the bonds I held with Godric and Pam. Frustration bubbled up at my inability to recall what I knew was important.

A grimace twisted my face as I thought of how little I remember of anything. How could I recognize the device sitting on her kitchen counter as a toaster, but yet not know my name or know my own maker? How is it possible that I can recall the Great Revelation, but not remember sharing my blood with such an exquisite beauty?

I shook off my frustrations and concentrated on what else I could hear and scent. There was another human in the house, and from the sound of the voices drifting through the old wooden house, it was a female. Pam had called me just before sunrise and explained a witch friend was coming to offer some assistance. With the lingering scent of magic in the air, I felt certain this must be her. I was rightfully wary of involving more witches, however my progeny assured me I was well acquainted with this coven and had worked with them regularly in the past. Her reassurances didn't hold much weight, but I was willing to reserve judgement for now.

I kept part of my brain trained on the conversation between my beautiful saviour and her guest while I scanned the numerous two-natured I could smell just outside. From the noise and the chatter, I assumed they were the crew Pam had spoken of, but beyond that there wasn't much to ascertain.

I occupied my time trying to think of anything at all I could call a personal memory. There was plenty of knowledge in my head – I was grateful the fucking witches hadn't stripped me of all my faculties – but I could come up with no recollections that felt remotely personal. I didn't exist before she found me; I was nothing until that point.

My thoughts turned inward, returning to the dark place I was in before she found me. My toes twitched instinctively as I recalled the pain that had started in my feet and travelled through my legs before eventually lodging itself in my spine. A deep-seated desire had driven me to run through the pain, a primal instinct forced me down the dark country road. Every instinct I had told me I was running to her. It tore at my insides that I could not understand why, but I felt it with a certainty.

The desire to run vanished into the night when she pulled her car to a halt beside me. It felt right to be with her, it felt right to be in her home. It had felt right when I slipped into her bed last night like a frightened child, and it had been the best to hold her hand in the dark and listen to her soft breathing.

Why else had I been out here, this far from my home, from my maker and child? Even with the call of my blood inside her, why hadn't I gone to them? I was spared from my thoughts when I heard the conversation between Sookie and her guest become interesting. I listened as my saviour explained something of the relationship between us. It was enlightening, in more ways than one, and I was disappointed when the Were interrupted the conversation.

Realizing the sun had finally dropped below the horizon, I pushed open the trapdoor above my head and rose to my full height before stepping out of the crawlspace. I was grateful for the accommodation, no matter how inadequate it might be for my size. I opened the closet door, stepping into the bedroom beyond just as Sookie walked into the room.

"Oh, hi." She smiled at me, even as a faint blush crept along her cheekbones. I fought the urge to let my fangs come down at the sight.

"Good evening." I returned her greeting, standing completely still. "How was your day?"

"Besides the Werewolves in my yard and the witch in my kitchen?" She gave a little shrug and grinned. "Same old, same old."

"I hope you were not unduly inconvenienced?" I really hoped she wouldn't get sick of having me here. I didn't have anywhere else to go. There was nowhere else I wanted to be.

"Nah, it's nothing. The Were's are actually doing some work on my house which needed tending to, and the witch is a lovely girl. She's been explaining some stuff about magic to me." She just stood there looking at me for a moment before delicately clearing her throat and continuing. "I really just wanted to give you a heads up about who's here. I think you guys knew each other, but I don't think she's been told much about what's going on."

"Pam called after you were sleeping last night. She told me to expect the witch, but she didn't elaborate on how much the coven was told." I moved into the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. I hadn't expected her to join me, but she took a seat at the foot of the bed and angled herself to face me.

"Until Pam gets here, I'd rather not tell her much. Her name's Amelia, and if you could maybe just pretend that you know her?" She looked at me with a question in her eyes and it took me a moment to respond to her. Her scent was floating about my senses again, distracting me from her words.

"That may be wise." I finally agreed. "I don't trust witches."

"I don't blame you, but I don't think she's here to do us any harm."

"You can't know for certain," I point out.

"No, not for certain," she agreed. A pained look slithered across her features before disappearing so quickly I wondered if I imagined it. "But trust me when I say I think she's safe. I'm just being overly cautious for now."

"How do you know this?" There was something about her demeanor that told me I was missing something.

"Well, for starters, she's apparently a part of your go-to coven and she's also Pam's sometimes girlfriend." A full blush rose from her chest, capillaries dilating and filling with her sweetly scented blood. I nearly missed her next words, as distracted as I was with watching the entrancing trail flood her face with color. "And also because I'm a telepath and I could hear her thoughts."

"You're what?" All my attention focused on her statement. I couldn't know for sure, but I felt certain telepaths were a rare breed. A small sense of satisfaction rooted itself in my heart. I was right. She was something more.

"I'm a telepath. I can hear humans clearly, I can't hear vampires at all and shapeshifters, weres, and fairies are fuzzy to me, but I can still sometimes get something from the two-natured." She stated her qualifications flatly, all the while studying my face intently. She looked and sounded calm, but her fingers were busying twisting and turning the fabric of the bedspread under her. I reached for the bond between us to better ascertain her mood, only to be shocked at the diminished feel of it.

"Are you doing that?" I questioned unthinkingly. I had liked feeling her earlier.

"Doing what?"

"Are you closing down our blood tie?" I felt foolish as the words left my mouth. There's no way she could do that –

"Yes, I am." She replied, interrupting my musings with her shocking statement. I stared at her as she continued. "I never close it off completely, but I usually keep it dampened down a bit."

"Why would you do that?" My mind whirred with this information, trying to process how she was doing what I thought to be impossible. "How are you doing it?"

"I like my privacy. What can I say? You don't need to be dealing with my ups and downs all night." She shrugged, as if that made all the sense in the world. "As for how, I really don't know. We figure it has something to do with the fairy blood."

My nostrils flared and my fangs dropped on instinct. "What fairy blood?" I questioned from between gritted teeth.

"Whoa, easy cowboy," she muttered, looking at the fangs protruding from my gums. Amazingly, no fear showed in her body language or her scent. "Why don't you put those away, and I'll tell you?"

It was a struggle, but they did recede eventually. Sookie sat patiently and watched until they were out of sight.

"I've only recently learned that my grandmother had an affair with a half-breed fairy. That means I am one eighth Fae."

Fae. She was part fairy. My blood mingled with fairy blood in her veins. I couldn't prevent the look of shock spreading across my face. I had thought she was different, but I hadn't suspected Fae.

"And since we're talking about it, there's more you should probably know." I stared at her, not sure I wanted to hear anything that was bigger than her last bombshell. "I am a Brigant. Prince Niall is my great-grandfather."

Oh, fuck, was I ever right. I didn't need to hear that. A royal Brigant part-fairy was my saviour and my blood was in her veins. I steeled myself for the answer to my next question.

"Are your kin aware of your association with vampires?" Does your great-granddaddy know I gave his princess blood? I really wanted to ask. I stood from the bed and began to pace the room.

"Yes, and you can relax. There is no blood offense." She returned dryly. "Believe it or not, the Prince is in favour of my association with you."

I shot around to stare at her in surprise. "He what?" It would be unthinkable for the Prince of Fae to willingly let his kin involve herself with vampires. To knowingly approve of a blood-tie was unfathomable.

"It's a long story that we don't have time for right now, but if I promise to tell you all of it later, will you settle for the short version now?"

I nodded my head in agreement, knowing she was right. "As long as you promise the full story later."

"I do. Fae is in upheaval, Niall has enemies everywhere. He was worried for my safety, until we met and exchanged blood." She held up her hand to hold off the question on my lips. "Even though I am only one-eighth, I apparently have the essential spark. And mine's supposedly stronger than it should be. When we exchanged blood, it activated my spark."

"So, he approves because my blood was enough to make your spark ignite?" That didn't seem enough, and I said so.

"Yeah, that and you agreed to help keep me safe until I can protect myself."

My head was spinning with the information she was casually tossing out and I took my seat again, suddenly weary of pacing. I needed to feel grounded right now.

"Just so you know, I don't completely trust Niall or his motives. You have had your reservations, too."

"You don't trust your kin?" I looked at her with surprise.

"He's not really family to me." She shrugged, apparently unconcerned. "I barely know him. You know him better than me."

I knew Prince Niall. She was right, I did know him, I was certain of it. I knew who she was referring to immediately, and if I try hard enough, I can almost picture his face. But every other detail was obscured, all interactions with him as hidden as the rest of my life.

"I don't know him now. And if you don't completely trust him, that's enough for me." I reached out and took her small hand in mine, squeezing it gently. "Thank you."

"For what?" She gently disentangled herself after a moment, pulling her hand back to rest it on her thigh.

"For being honest with me. You didn't have to tell me these things, but you did." I replied sincerely.

"Look, Eric, I know things are a mess right now, and you don't know who to trust." Her hand started to move as if to reach for mine again, but stilled again on her thigh. "I want you to know that regardless of anything that has happened, you can always trust me. I will always look out for you."

The bond between us practically hummed as she pushed her honesty and integrity toward me in waves.

"I will remember that, Sookie." I could hear cars approaching in the distance and I wanted to savour this moment while it was just us. "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Yes, of course. Anything."

"Will you tell me more about us later?" I gave her a pleading look. "Please, Sookie? It's tearing me up not to know." I finished quietly, but the desperation in my tone echoed in my ears. I sounded pathetic, but I didn't care.

Her eyes darted away and her small teeth captured her lower lip, torturing it quite thoroughly before releasing it from captivity. She turned to face me, determination glowing in her deep blue yes. I watched her lashes fan up and down rapidly while she gathered her thoughts.

"I promise. You deserve to know whatever I can tell you." Her eyes shone brightly as she spoke, drawing me into their depths. A fresh admiration rose in me as I considered her brave response. From what I'd heard her say to the witch earlier, whatever relationship we previously had was in jeopardy. I wanted to fix whatever it was with a fierceness that shocked me. The pain of losing her would be greater than the pain of losing myself. I knew it in my soul.

"I appreciate it." I stood and extended my hand. "I believe our company is arriving. We should go greet them."

"Oh, my heavens!" she exclaimed. "I left poor Amelia out there by herself all this time." She reached up and smacked her palm off her forehead. "I'm really the worst hostess ever."

I reached to grab her hand before she could further injure herself. "Stop that," I chided. "You are too hard on yourself. You can't be everywhere at once." Pulling her to her feet, we walked towards the door. "Now, let's go see what they have learned."

Sookie POV

"So, what are we talking about now?" I asked brightly as I entered the living room, Pam by my side. We had left Eric with Godric while we had gone outside so Pam could supervise the casting of the wards. Octavia had been very forthcoming with information, telling me in blunt terms that my house was built on what she called a magical crossroads. I didn't know what that meant, but I was more than willing to accept her word for it. There was too much on my plate to add more courses right now.

Pam and I had both felt it might be beneficial for Eric to spend some one-on-one time with his maker. Godric was the one being who could fill in much of his incredibly long life history and would be the best person to answer many of the questions we were all certain he must have.

"Godric feels we might be safer in another location." Eric's subdued tones gave me no indication how he felt about this, but I knew I was not in favour.

"What is wrong with staying here?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, but there's no choice in the matter." Godric was firm in his decision. "Even with all the protection in the world, you might be found here. You both need to be kept safe."

"Why will we be safer anywhere else?" I was confused, after spending the afternoon thinking the wards and the magic would keep us safe, along with the contingent of vampire and Were guards.

"I have received some information indicating an old nemesis has been spotted in New Orleans. My informant tells me he was overheard speaking about Area Five." Godric explained, patient as always.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"He's proven to be difficult to deal with in the past." Godric's perpetually youthful face bore distinct signs of distaste. "The animosity he holds for Eric and I is great. He is very old, very powerful and extremely dangerous."

"Why do you think he would look for Eric here?"

"There's a connection with Sophie-Ann LeClerq and he's been spotted in New Orleans at least twice. If he's involved, it's logical he'll continue to seek him out. Sophie-Ann will give you up, believe me." The modern vernacular seemed out of place coming from Godric, even though he looked like a typical teen.

"Why does he hate me?" Eric's voice was quiet, but we all heard him. "What grudge does he bear?"

"Hate is not what he feels for you." Godric shook is head. "Appius Livius Ocella wants you for himself, and has tried many times to lure you to his side."

"Appius?" I asked. It was the name I'd called out when I'd awoken from my Viking dreams. The blood drained from my face, leaving me as pale as the three vampires in the room. Either nobody noticed, or it wasn't deemed important.

"Who is he?" Pam asked this question, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"An ancient Roman vampire from the old world. He is most noted for his unusually cruel behaviour, even among the depraved creatures he keeps company with. He also holds the distinction of being the maker of Sophie-Ann's sire, as well as being one of the oldest vampires in existence."

Great. Just flipping great. This was who I dream of?

"I see." Pam nodded as if it made perfect sense. "There's a safehouse about a half hour from here. Eric's owned it for a number of years, but nobody is aware of it. We can get you there tonight."

I suppressed a groan, but couldn't hold back the dirty looks I was giving Pam and Godric. I really didn't want to leave my house and have my life uprooted any more than it was, but I knew I wouldn't have any say in the matter. I was pretty sure Eric would refuse to go if I did.

"So, what then? We go into hiding and just wait?" I said, exasperated with the entire situation. Although, as much as I hated being driven from my home, if this Appius was as deadly as I suspected, perhaps we were better off hiding.

"Sookie, you know this is the best option. Until we can find the witches and figure out who's behind all of this, we have to keep you and Eric out of sight." Pam snapped back at me, clearly just as exasperated as I.

"They are right, Sookie." Eric spoke again. He rose from his place on the couch, standing to tower over all of us. "I am sure I can fend for myself, but I won't tolerate any threat to your safety."

I could feel my heart softening as I looked at him. This Eric reminded me of my dream vampire more than Sheriff Eric ever did. There was something about his eyes, a certain softness to his mouth. Small things, but it made it that much harder deny him.

"Alright." I sighed as I acquiesced to their demands. "If you truly think it's the best plan, I will go."

"Thank you." Eric's eyes held mine for a moment until I broke the connection and looked away.

"You're welcome." I replied briskly. There was still a lot to cover and I didn't want to start falling to mush right now. "So, what is the plan from here? Do we have any leads on the witches?"

"The names they gave us proved to be false, but we have identified them regardless. Marnie and Mark Stonebrook are brother and sister, both natural born witches. She goes by the name Hallow and is considered the more powerful of the two."

Godric picked up where Pam left off. "Our information leads us to believe that their so-called coven is a bit of a sham, comprised mostly of witches who are either being held against their will entirely, or are there under coercion. We believe they're relying mostly on Hallow's power. Their magic is being used to supplement hers."

"That doesn't sound very smart," I mused. "Seems to me that would lead to a very weak coven. If you take her out, they are pretty much incapacitated."

"That is very true." Godric regarded me appraisingly. "To take her out, we must first find her."

"It would be easier to find her if you knew why she did this."

"What do you mean?" Eric questioned, his beautiful eyes trained on me again.

"Well, if she did this for her own reasons, if it's you she wants, then it stands to reason she will be looking for you and shouldn't be too hard to track." I explained my train of thought as best I could. "But I'm thinking that if she was hired to do this by someone like your Appius guy, she's probably either long gone or dead."

"We have people all across the Area looking for her. There were some decent images of her from the security cameras. If she's out and about, she'll be spotted and taken down." Pam spoke with a confidence I was sure she wasn't feeling. There was a tension around her eyes that wasn't usually there. She looked worried.

"She might also be with however hired her, or be waiting to meet with them. We don't know what the purpose of the spell was, but I'm sure they weren't meant to lose him like this." I pointed out. "If she was paid to curse Eric, then whoever hired her is probably very pissed off right now."

"There is no evidence to suggest anyone hired her to do this, but it is a logical assumption, I think. Even extremely powerful covens think twice about taking on vampires. Her demands were ridiculous to begin with." Godric interjected with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Right now the only suspect we have is Appius. I have people looking for him. They may lead us to the witch, as well."

"If he's as old and powerful as you say, are we going to be able to take him on?" I asked doubtfully. From everything I'd learned of vampires, age meant power and power was everything.

"He is old, but I have fought with him before. He is not impossible to beat, especially if we have numbers on our side." Godric sounded sure of himself, but I wasn't convinced. If it were that simple, I'm sure he would have been taken out long before now.

"We can raise the numbers we need, don't worry." Pam assured me. "There is hardly a vampire in the state who wouldn't stand beside Eric. And many more from outside Louisiana, should we need them."

"Okay, but if he's as creepy and obsessed with Eric as you say he is, we gotta be real careful. If he's not involved, the last thing we need to do is draw him into the mix." I shuddered at the thought of adding more trouble. All I could think of was how stealthily he tracked Eric through the bramble and foliage. I concentrated really hard on keeping my expression even. I didn't think I was particularly successful, but hoped they would credit the strain on my face to the circumstances, not my guilty thought processes. Should I tell them?

"You are right, of course." Godric replied slowly. "I will be cautious, but we must take the chance."

"I don't like this. How come I know nothing of this?" Pam pouted, but I was curious as well. How could Eric never have spoken about such an enemy?

"I wish I knew," Eric contributed glumly, while Godric added, "It's probably because Appius hasn't crossed our path since before your turning. Eric may never have felt the need to speak of him."

"And you don't know what he wants?"

"He wants Eric," Godric replied firmly.

"For what, though?" Eric's child was like a dog with a bone, but I appreciated her doggedness. I wanted to know as much as she did. "It's not like Eric swings that way."

Eeww. I hadn't thought about it that way. Surely that's not what he meant, right?

"He is operating under the mistaken opinion that Eric was meant to be his progeny." Godric leveled his gaze on me as he spoke and a chill ripped through me as I met his dark eyes. It was unsettling. "He somehow feels Eric would bend to his will if I were to release him."

"That's crazy!" Pam chimed in. "Does he even know Eric? Even if you did release him, Eric would never bend for another. Is he completely mad?"

"That is debatable," Godric replied, "but if it's madness, it is deep-seated. Our first run in with Appius was when Eric was no more than a fledgling, maybe four or five decades."

"Are you kidding me? That's almost a thousand years ago!" What kind of a nutcake held on to a delusional grudge for that long?

Godric shrugged. "It is what it is. No matter what his motives, he is a dangerous and unpredictable adversary. We will continue to watch for him."

It is what it is. I took a deep breath into my lungs and held it for a long moment while I thought. It is what it is. How simple. How right he is, I thought as I slowly expelled the air from my lungs. There's nothing to change what has already happened. My dream told me nothing, I didn't even have a face to go by. I didn't believe much in coincidence anymore, but I couldn't even be 100% positive. We must move forward if we are ever going to get back to normal.

It was time to get the show on the road and get Eric and I safe and sound so the others could continue the hunt.

"So, what do I need to bring with me, Pam?"

After I packed the essentials I would need, we departed in short order. As I locked the house behind me, I had to wonder when I would see it again.

* * *

><p>And there you have it. I'd really appreciate it if you let me know what you think of the story so far.<p>

Any bets on what Appius is after?

Next chapter in a couple of days! Thanks for reading!


	40. Familiar Suroundings

As always, I own nothing.

* * *

><p>The safehouse turned out to be a sprawling ranch style home just outside of Minden. From the outside, it was completely unassuming, with white siding and black shutters adorning the windows. A two car garage took up one end of the home, with the other end featuring a wrap-around veranda. A well-manicured lawn was edged neatly with flowerbeds.<p>

Nothing about the place screamed vampire safehouse.

The car ride over was pretty silent and nobody said anything much when we arrived, either. Pam had the keys and showed everyone through the door once the alarm system was disabled. Godric disappeared quickly into the backyard, saying something about having to make some phone calls. Eric and I stood side by side in the foyer as Pam pointed out the general layout of the house. I wandered around the large kitchen, familiarizing myself with the placement of everything I would need while Pam ushered Eric to his daychamber and showed him how to operate his security system. I figured it was going to be extra hard on Eric, seeing as he owned the place and still needed to be shown around.

The home was beautiful, I had to admit. The kitchen was a cook's dream – a six burner gas range took up a large chunk of one counter, alongside a double-door stainless steel refrigerator. The extensive cabinetry was a gleaming cherry wood while the marble counters held an assortment of top end kitchen appliances, including the Kitchen Aid stand mixer I planned on buying for myself. A large marble-topped island dominated the center of the room and I ran my hands along the cool surface as I made my way through the kitchen and into the main hallway.

The aged plank flooring made the hallway appear wider than it was, as did the large pieces of abstract art hanging at regular intervals on cream colored walls. Every piece was bright, with colors seeming to burst from the canvas. I wondered if Eric had chosen the pieces himself.

The living room was big, with an enormous fireplace at one end and sliding patio doors on the other. The walls here were painted a rich sapphire blue. Two over-sized couches sat perpendicular to one another, framing a thick wooden coffee table. A flat screen television hung on the opposite wall and was flanked by two large bookcases, the shelves nearly groaning under the weight of the books stacked there. More large, bright paintings adorned the walls. All in all, it seemed like a very Eric kind of room.

Giving in to the aching tiredness creeping into my bones, I fell into the comfy sofa, allowing the sumptuous cushions to wrap around me. There would be time to look around the rest with Eric later. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, taking the few minutes alone to try and gather my thoughts.

I wasn't looking forward to talking to Eric about us, even with as much as I felt he deserved to know the truth. I could only give him the truth as I saw it and the problem was, he might not have had the same vision of us. It would be an uncomfortable conversation at best. At worst, I could see myself dissolving into a messy puddle of tears and snot. Neither option appealed to me right now.

I was lost to my thoughts when Pam strolled into the room.

"Alright, buttercup. He's all yours." She announced with a wicked smile on her face. "Try not to damage him any further, will you?"

"Gee, thanks." I sassed back, crossing my arms over my chest. As if I could break him. "I promise I'll return him in one piece."

"You don't have to return him, you know," she offered up, a small smile still playing about the corners of her pink painted lips. "I'm sure he wouldn't object if you decided to keep him."

"Pam," I started, getting to my feet, "I swear –"

"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, Stackhouse." She waved off my indignation as though it were nothing. "I'm just a sucker for happy endings."

"Very funny." I stuck my tongue out in a childish move. "Where are Eric and Godric?"

"They're talking outside. Manly bonding time, I think," Pam replied in a dry tone.

"Do you think you're going to find them, Pam?" I asked her quietly.

"Yes." Her tone was firm, leaving no room for arguments. "I will not rest until we find who is responsible, Sookie. You have my word."

"I worry for him. I worry what will happen if this spell can't be reversed." I admit, trying to hold the tears back.

"We have the witches working on counter-spells and charms now, but it would be best to have Hallow reverse her handiwork," Pam admitted. She reached out her hand and patted me awkwardly on the shoulder. "You are a good friend, Sookie Stackhouse. I want you to know I appreciate what you are doing for him."

"You don't need to thank me. Just find the witches, okay?"

Pam nodded her head rather stiffly, her lips compressed. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn she was getting emotional herself.

"Now, even though we think this location is safe, we'll still have Alcide and a couple of his men stationed around. He'll bring the witches in the morning and they'll place the same wards and charms here as they are doing in Bon Temps tonight."

"Sure, if that's what you feel is best. What time will they be here?"

"They'll arrive with Alcide at sunrise, but they won't need you until much later. Do yourself a favor and get some sleep. They will manage without you until you rise."

"Yes, ma'am!" Even though I was feeling twinges of the 'bad hostess syndrome' again, I wasn't going to argue with a good night's rest. "I plan on doing exactly that." As if on cue, I let out an enormous yawn. "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"All the more reason to sleep tonight. Now, come. I can hear them coming back in." Pam turned and strode from the room, obviously expecting I would follow. I did, of course, but only because I kind of had to.

"Sookie." Godric inclined his head in greeting, while Eric stood behind him with a strange expression on his handsome face.

"Godric." I mimicked his greeting, my eyes trained on Eric. He seemed to be avoiding looking at me.

"We should get going." Pam spoke, drawing everyone's eyes her way. "The night is getting old."

"Yes, we should be leaving." Godric turned to Eric, a gentle expression on his face. When he spoke, his words were in Swedish and clearly meant for Eric's ears and not mine. I had to fight the guilty blush which was threatening to rise. "Remember what I told you, my son. You must make things right with her. She is your future. You must not fail."

Eric continued to stand motionless, hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. I thought he was going to leave Godric's statement alone, but he spoke a moment later.

"How can I make things right when I don't know what I – what he - did to her?" He sounded so sad, so uncertain. I had to turn away before anyone could see the tears welling in my eyes. I busied myself getting a glass of water, and before I knew it, Pam and Godric were gone.

We were alone and I didn't think I could handle it at the moment. I poured myself another glass of water and stood at the sink drinking it. I hoped he would think I was looking out the window, but the truth was I couldn't see anything but his sad countenance.

"I don't know what to do for you." Eric broke the silence, but his question jarred me. I spun around to look him in the face.

"What do you mean? You don't need to do anything for me."

"You are sad. You are upset." He shrugged his massive shoulders, the movement sending ripples across his muscular chest. I ignored it as best I could and focused on his words.

"I am upset and I am a little bit sad. Those are pretty natural feelings, considering the circumstances." I gave a shrug of my own. I didn't want to get into a deep discussion right now.

"Natural or not, I wish I could offer you comfort." His voice was gentle as he spoke. "I don't think you would welcome it."

I looked away as his words hit too close to home. "Why do you say that?" I asked, more to buy time than anything else.

"Because I am the one causing you distress." His frankness was disarming.

"You are not causing me distress. The situation is stressful, but it is not your fault."

"I heard your conversation with the witch earlier." He gave me a straight look before averting his eyes. "And I spoke with Godric earlier. I know you have banned me from your life."

I guess this conversation is happening whether I want it to or not. I sighed and walked towards him.

"If we're going to have this conversation, we may as well be comfortable. Let's go sit down."

Eric motioned for me to go first and shadowed me as I made my way to the living room. We each took opposite ends of the couch, leaving a comfortable amount of space between us. Folding my legs up under me, I turned so I was facing him. We sat just looking at each other for a moment before I mustered up the courage to speak.

"First of all, I haven't banned you from my life. I asked you for some time and space to myself so I could figure out where this thing between us is going." Simplified version, but these were simplified times. "And as strange as this may sound, it is not you I'm upset with anyway, but the other you."

"This thing between us," he waved a large hand in the space between us, "What was it?"

I dropped my head for a moment and stared at my fingers instead of him, focusing on the cuticles I'd picked raw rather than the need in his eyes.

"It's so complicated, Eric. There's just so much story to tell, so much you don't know and so much even I don't know. I will tell you what I know, but I suggest you speak with Godric and Pam, as well. I imagine they might have better insight than me." I swallowed hard and began to speak. I started from the beginning and told the story as concisely as I could, while still staying focused on the larger issue.

An hour and a half later, we were still sitting on the couch, but by now Eric had moved much closer and had my feet in his lap. His strong fingers were massaging my toes as I ended our story, finishing with the last time I had seen him. Through it all, he'd mostly listened, only asking a couple of pertinent questions here and there.

"So, that's what's been happening." Butterflies suddenly staged a ballet in my tummy as nerves overtook me.

"Everything was good between us until you heard Godric and I speaking? Is that right?"

"Well, yeah, kind of." I took a deep breath and continued, not really sure where he was going with this. "Things weren't perfect, and I'd always wondered how much I was being influenced by my dreams. But we were together, yes."

"But it was what you heard me say to Godric that changed everything, am I right?"

"Well, yes. You admitted you were keeping things from me; you said you didn't love me and that you dreamed of me dead, Eric!"

"I didn't know you spoke fluent Swedish, Sookie." He looked at me with a question in his eyes. "Godric told me a little of that night. He didn't think it was the conversation that upset you, as we were speaking in Swedish."

Damn. I'm busted.

"You taught me Swedish, Eric, many years ago when I was young." I defended myself weakly.

"But I didn't know you were fluent, did I?"

"Well, no, but it's not like I was trying to keep it from you! It's just not something I got around to telling you. You have to remember, I have a lifetimes worth of memories of you. There's lots about my dreams I never told you."

"And I am a thousand years old," he countered. "I'm sure there is much about my life that I never told you."

"But that's different!" I exclaimed. "My dreams are about you. You didn't know anything about me until we met. It's not your past you're hiding; it's something to do with our relationship!"

"Godric knows what I am hiding." He gave me a slow, measuring look. He looked more like the old Eric in that moment. "If you want, he will tell us both about it tomorrow. Or you can wait until my memories return, and I will tell you yourself."

I pondered his offer for a long time. I didn't want to hear it from Godric. I wanted to hear it from Eric, the full-fledged version. It was he who was keeping it from me. It was he I wanted to decide to tell me.

"I think it can wait, if you don't mind. Feel free to ask Godric to tell you about it, but I'd rather wait to hear it from you later." He nodded and the look he gave me made me think he knew my reasons for waiting.

"I'm sorry," he offered. "You are too good for me."

"Don't say nonsense," I replied.

"I promise you this, Sookie. When my memories return, I will tell you absolutely everything I know about you, everything I ever thought about you or felt about you." His tone was passionate; the look on his achingly beautiful face was earnest. "I know this hasn't been easy for you, baring yourself to me this way. You deserve the same in return and I swear to you, it will be my first priority when this curse is broken."

"Thank you." I replied simply, not trusting my voice at the moment.

"Now, how about something happier until you go to sleep?" He asked, a playful look transforming his face.

"What did you have in mind?"

"How about we go to bed?" he grinned and winked at me. "Sorry, just trying to be funny. But I was thinking we could go to bed? I still don't want to be alone. I promise I won't try anything. We can just lie together and you can tell me about some of your dreams of us."

I just looked at him, thinking of the thousand and one reasons why this was a bad idea. But in the end, I rejected each and every one of those reasons and gave in to my treacherous heart. I was so lonely, so worried. Each and every fiber of my being missed Eric and this version of Eric was uncomplicated, innocent of whatever crimes I imagined my Eric to be guilty of.

"Okay, but I'd really like to shower first. Give me fifteen minutes, okay?" I stood up and stretched. A hot shower would feel great. My back was killing me.

He nodded his head, a lock of golden hair falling haphazardly across his forehead. "Pam said the room on the left is yours."

I hurried off, only to come to a sudden halt when I opened the door and flipped on the light. I must have stood there for a full minute, my jaw dropped and my eyes scary wide.

I knew this room. I knew every inch of it. The warm vanilla walls set off the rich mahogany sleigh bed and matching armoire, dresser and night stands. I could almost feel the silken bedspread against my skin, knew the sheets underneath would be a rich, thick creamy cotton. I knew how gorgeous Eric's pale skin looked against the dark green, over-sized armchair in the corner.

This was the bedroom from my dreams. This was the room we made love in.

I moved into the room and stood by the bed with lurid, explicit memories of all we had done there floating through my brain. There was no doubt it was the exact same, the only difference being the lack of photos on the nightstands. In my dreams, there had been photos of Eric and me on both tables. I sat on the edge of the bed; I was sure my legs wouldn't hold me up any further.

How could this be the room? How could I have dreamed of this exact room – a bedroom in a safehouse, for goodness sake? No stranger than dreaming of Eric all this time, but still. How could my subconscious, or whatever it was directing my dreams, ever know I would end up here?

I must have been lost in thought longer than I thought, because Eric was at the door before I knew it.

"Is everything alright?" He stuck his head into the room. "I didn't hear the shower, but it's been almost fifteen minutes."

"I'm sorry. I guess I got a little lost in my thoughts." I jumped up off the bed. "I'll get into the shower now. Come back in a bit?"

"Sure." He gave me an appraising look. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

"Yeah. Give me a few minutes to shower and I'll tell you what I was thinking later."

I was surprised again when I noticed the bathroom was fully stocked with all the products I would need. Strangely, they were all my preferred brands, right down to my favorite scents. Even the natural bath stuff Pam gave me before was there. I shrugged; there were weirder things to think about right now.

I quickly stripped off and turned on the shower. I was just about to step in when I realized I had nothing to change into and walked back into the bedroom to get my pajamas. I let out a choked yelp when I nearly collided with a bare chested Eric.

"What the hell are you doing?" I screeched at him, trying to cover all the important bits with my hands. Seeing as some of my bits are harder to hide than others, it wasn't working very well. My eyes darted everywhere trying to find something, anything to cover myself with. I sighed with relief when I noticed the pile of towels Eric was holding and grabbed one, wrapping it tightly around myself.

"I was bringing you towels." His face was absolutely impassive, but there was a burning in his eyes I was intimately familiar with.

"Don't you know you should knock?" I asked irritably, trying to fight the arousal that was threatening to overtake the embarrassment. He looked too good and I was wearing too little, here in this room I remembered so well.

"Where's the fun in that?" He grinned cheekily at me and I wanted to slap him. I refrained and instead grabbed the rest of the towels, turned my back on him and huffed away into the bathroom.

Ten minutes under the hottest water I could tolerate still wasn't enough to calm me down. I was frustrated, in more ways than one. I stepped out of the shower, toweled off and realized my mistake. Still no pajamas.

I tightened my hold on my towel, straightened my back and marched into the bedroom, ignoring the beautiful, six foot five column of pure muscle lying on my bed and retrieved my pajamas silently. Returning to the bathroom, I dressed quickly and then took my time brushing my teeth and drying my hair.

Finally, I had no reason to delay anymore and went back into the bedroom, a blush still staining my cheeks. Eric was lying on my bed, his bare feet dangling idly over the side. I slipped into my side, trying to convince myself it was no big deal while hauling the covers up to my chin. We had seen each other naked before, after all. Just because he didn't remember didn't mean it didn't happen.

I lay there stiffly for a moment, wondering if this was such a great idea after all. Eric was as quiet as I and the silence was becoming awkward.

"Come here." Eric held one hand in my direction. I stared at it, but did not give him mine. He sighed. "I promised you, Sookie. I won't try anything."

"What do you want then?" I wondered aloud.

"I just want you to feel comfortable with me again. There's no need to be embarrassed." He wiggled the fingers of his outstretched hand. "We've seen each other naked before, yes?"

"Yes, but it's not like you remembered," I muttered under my breath as I slowly laid my hand in his. He wrapped his long fingers around it, engulfing my whole hand with barely more than his palm.

"Ah, well, you are right there." He tugged on my hand, drawing me closer to him. "But I feel better now that we're on an even playing field. Don't you?"

I pulled back instinctively at his words, umbrage rising like flood waters in the spring. A scathing retort burned my tongue, but I caught a glimpse of the wide smile creasing his face and the joking look in his crystal blue eyes. My pending scornful diatribe died a quick death.

I giggled instead. He was right. He'd actually seen far more of me than he'd glimpsed earlier.

"Alright, I'm over it." I allowed myself to be tugged closer until I was pressed against his side. A muscular arm came over my shoulders, urging me closer until my head rested on his shoulder.

"Good." His fingers swept through my hair, smoothing wandering tendrils back from my face. "I don't ever want you to feel embarrassed by anything between us."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'm used to being caught in my birthday suit." I resisted the urge to bury my still pink face against the carved marble of his chest.

"Birthday suit? I don't understand." Eric's tone was pure puzzlement and I laughed again. He remembered the funniest things and didn't get the simplest.

"My skin? The only suit you wear on the day of your birth?" I filled him in between giggles, laughing even louder and squirming when he took revenge for my laughter by tickling my ribs.

"It's the loveliest thing I've seen you in yet." Eric's fingers touched on the sensitive inside edge of my hip bone and I gave a high-pitched squeal and a fresh waves of giggles erupted.

I fought to catch my breath. Grabbing his wandering hand, I held it tight with both of my own and he didn't fight me. A few deep breaths later and I was as good as new. I didn't release his hand, though, and he didn't pull away.

"Will you tell me more about your dreams?" Eric's soft question broke the ensuing silence. "I would like to know more about this other me."

I thought about his question. It was funny how both of us seemed to be classifying the different versions of him. One person shouldn't be so fractured; but yet, there were at least three distinctively different versions of the Viking vampire. There was the real Eric, of course; the Sheriff of Area Five. There was my dream Eric; the tender and gentle lover and teacher. And there was this Eric; the amnesiac, cursed vampire who showed signs of being both of the other two.

"There's so much to tell you," I said, trying to think of any memory that was PG-13 enough to relate to him. Being here, in this room with him? Not helping. "I don't know where to start."

"Tell me some of the things I have taught you while you slumber," he softly demanded. It seemed like a safe choice.

"The most important thing you ever taught me to do was to shield my thoughts." Before that, the best I could do was try to make as much mental noise as I could and try to drown out the rest.

"How did I do that?" He questioned, genuinely curious.

"It's kind of hard to explain, even to you. You worked with me for I don't know how long, showing me how I could build walls in my head. It took a very long time for it to work properly, but eventually I got the hang of separating my thoughts into one area, and walling off the rest."

"Interesting." He said to himself. "Can you keep the thoughts completely out that way?"

"Under ordinary circumstances it works very well," I confirmed. "I can even lower the walls enough just to listen to specific people, but that does get tricky sometimes. And my shields don't last long with any physical contact."

"Touch amplifies your ability?" I smiled to myself. Neither version of this enigmatic creature was put-off by my telepathy. They all viewed it as a gift.

"Yes, I can't help but hear the thoughts of anyone I touch. It's why I stay away from really crowded places."

"Did you spend much time at my bar?"

"Not a whole lot." My face flamed as I recalled some of the times I'd spent there. "And most of it was spent in your office."

"What else did I teach you? You speak fluent Swedish."

"You have to understand that I never thought any of this was real," I stated, "I thought it was just my dreams, my imagination at work. It wasn't until I met you and Pam that I realized I could, in fact, speak Swedish."

"I speak many languages. Did I teach you any others?"

"Swedish was hard for me to master, but you did teach me some Old Norse and some Italian and French."

He spoke a few phrases in Norse and I smiled up at him. "Nice try, buddy." He'd asked if I wanted to get naked.

"Buddy?" He replied with mock indignation. "I'm a thousand year old Viking warrior, woman, not some buddy."

I laughed at his antics and settled back into my comfy position. I realized I was still holding his hand in mine and gently released my grip. Flipping his hand over, I gently traced the lines etched into his giant palms.

"Your life line is really long." I spoke out loud, not thinking.

"Ironic, isn't it?" He gave a harsh laugh. "My life wasn't all that long."

"You're still here, aren't you?" I asked. "I'd say a thousand years is a pretty long life. And you've got so much more ahead of you."

"I'm not sure your life-line is supposed to represent a thousand years of death." His hand twitched in mine and I smoothed my fingers across his.

"Yeah, well, I don't believe you are really dead." I retorted.

"I am vampire, Sookie. I died and I rose vampire." His tone was gentle, but firm.

"You were changed, certainly. But everything I have been told, by you, too, says that a human still must have a spark of life in order to be turned. A corpse cannot be turned." I argued.

"No, it can't," he agreed, "but you cannot say vampires are alive when our hearts don't beat."

"Your heart may not beat like mine does, but it still must somehow serve its purpose. Blood still does run through your veins. If you are cut badly, you will bleed out."

"Vampires are animated by magic," he replied stubbornly. "Our hearts don't need to pump our blood. Our magic directs our blood."

"Whatever. I still say you didn't die, so you aren't truly dead." I replied in my own stubborn tone. "You are changed, evolved somehow. But not dead."

"Did I also teach you how to debate?" Eric queried with false sincerity. I dropped his massive mitt onto his belly and jabbed my elbow into his ribcage.

"Actually, you kind of did, smarty pants." I smirked. "I was a pretty introverted child, as you can imagine. I was afraid to speak to people, afraid I would answer their thoughts instead of their words."

"That must have been tough."

"Until I learned to block their thoughts, it was really hard. Folks started calling me 'Crazy Sookie' way back then. I hardly ever spoke, and it always got strange whenever I did." I might have gotten used to the scorn and disdain, but it still hurt my feelings.

Eric started, his torso lifting off the bed just enough to dislodge me from my spot before he settled down again. He tried to guide me back, too, but I sat up and looked down on him.

"What's the matter?" He was doing an admirable job of hiding it on his face, but there was no mistaking the murderous rage that had spiked through his blood.

"You are not crazy." He looked me directly in the eyes as he spoke. "I could do great harm to those who hurt you with those words."

"Oh, Eric." I felt myself tearing up and started rapidly batting my eyelashes, willing the tears to stay back. "That is incredibly sweet of you, but you showed me long ago how to deal with people like that. It was you who made me understand folks like that were really just scared of what they couldn't understand."

"I did all that for you?" His gaze was still locked with mine. "I fear I was probably a better dream vampire than I am a real vampire, Sookie."

"I won't deny dream you was very special to me, but the real you is a good guy, too," I reassured him. "You barely knew me, heck you didn't know me at all and you were helping me. There is goodness inside you."

"Only for Sookie." His words were uttered tenderly, but there was an intense fire burning in his eyes.

My insides melted, pooling into a puddle of estrogen. I swallowed hard and changed the subject.

"You also taught me how to fight and defend myself," I offered, hoping the mention of fighting would be enough to snap him out of his intensity.

"Have you tested these skills?" I was right. His penetrating gaze sharpened into an entirely different look. "What weapons can you use?"

"You showed me how to wield a sword – a katana usually worked best for me – as well as how to use daggers and other smaller knives properly." It wasn't one of the more enjoyable things I'd dreamed of, but if I can actually look after myself better, more power to it. "You also taught me the basics of a bunch of martial arts. And I'm a really good shot, too."

Eric had been nodding in approval as I listed the skills I'd apparently acquired in my dreams. A frown pulled at his eyebrows at the mention of guns. "I showed you how to shoot?" he asked doubtfully.

"Not you, no." I grinned at him. "I am southern, you know. I learned to shoot when I was just a kid. I really am a decent shot now." I'd grown up around guns. They'd always been in the house.

"They have their uses, but I've never been a fan," he stated. "I will have Pam bring some weapons so we can gauge your skills."

"Me either," I confessed, "but Jason always made sure I could use one. It was just us, Gran and I, for a lot of years. She could shoot pretty well, too."

"Your brother is a disgrace." Eric jaw jutted forward with his disapproval. "He should have taken better care of the women in his family."

"Times have changed, Eric," I replied mildly. "We women do just fine on our own."

"How do you support yourself? It is just you now, am I correct?" His eyes were kind as they continued to look at me. There was no pity in his tone.

"I worked as a waitress until recently. I managed okay."

"And now? What do you do?"

"Nothing at the moment," I admitted. This was a conversation I never did have with Eric. "I have a contract to work for the Queen, but so far she hasn't requested my services."

"When did this happen?" Eric's frame tensed.

"When did I sign the contract?" I was puzzled by his reaction. "A couple of weeks ago. Why?"

"I may not have my memories, but it strikes me strangely for Sophie-Ann not to have availed herself of your talents yet." He shook his head, locks of blonde hair falling about his chiseled jaw. "It makes me wonder why not."

I frowned back at him. With everything that had been happening, I was relieved Sophie-Ann hadn't requested me in New Orleans yet. But looking at it now, I had to wonder if Eric wasn't onto something. She had made such a fuss about how much work she was going to have for me, then nada. Zilch.

His concerns were right on the money. Something was off there.

"I hadn't thought about it," I admitted. "I didn't want to have to go there, so I was just relieved she didn't ask for me."

"It is something worth investigating." He sat up further, adjusting the pillows behind him. "I will mention it to the others."

I sat cross-legged beside him and watched his face as he spoke. There was an odd detachment in his tone whenever he spoke of Godric or Pam. It was in marked contrast to the undercurrents of pride and reverence that usually flavored his mood when he spoke of them.

"Do you have contracts with anyone else?"

"No. You and I spoke of having me do some work for you at Fangtasia at a couple of your other businesses, but we never got around to signing the contracts." Actually, I hadn't gotten around to signing them. Eric's bold signature was already there.

"We should rectify that immediately. There are probably employee benefit packages that could benefit you." His eyebrows drew together again in that adorably puzzled way. "If you have given up waitressing, you must have expected to work as per these agreements."

"I didn't think I would have a choice whether or not to work for the Queen, but I'm not worried about it. I did think I would be busier than I am, but I didn't quit waitressing just because of that." There was an odd, fluttering queasiness in my stomach as I prepared to tell him something nobody else knew.

"As you know, I am part fairy. My grandfather was Fintan Brigant. I never knew him, and I never will because he died not too long before I met you." I paused and took a deep breath. I looked away from his penetrating gaze and stared at the stripes on my pajama legs instead. "Just before we went to New Orleans, I got a visit from Mr. Cataliades. He's a demon lawyer and you know him well, too. It seems that Fintan left his entire estate to me."

"It was a sufficient amount to allow you to stop waitressing?"

"You could say that," I replied sarcastically. "I actually have a hard time getting my head around all the numbers, but according to Mr. Cataliades, even my great-great-great-grandchildren wouldn't have to waitress if they didn't want to."

"You want to have children?" he asked, his eyes averted.

I stared at him in surprise. "I tell you I'm suddenly richer than even Oprah and Donald Trump and that's what you take away from it? Children?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You mentioned children. I was curious. Your wealth, other than bringing a sense of relief you are able to care for yourself, is of no interest to me. Pam assures me I have plenty of money of my own."

"You do have your own money, but I still expected you to be surprised."

"Was he surprised when you told him?" I gave him a puzzled look and he clarified. "Me. The other me. Was I surprised?"

"I didn't tell him yet." I shook my head. I had to stop separating them so cleanly, as he was doing. "You, I mean. I hadn't told you yet. I was going to tell you that last night at Fangtasia, but I didn't. It never came up after that."

"You are avoiding my question. Do you want children?"

My eyes snapped to his. I could feel the rawness of his emotions simmering in his blood.

"No. I don't want children." I watched as relief stole across his stunning face.

"Are you sure? You spoke of children easily." He wasn't meeting my eyes, instead he studiously inspected every inch of the room.

"I am sure. I never wanted children, Eric. I had a miserable childhood and it would kill me to knowingly put a child through that. I've always known I wouldn't have children."

"Are you sure you aren't saying this because I can't procreate?" His eyes finally landed on me and I was heartbroken by the pain lurking in the deep cerulean pools.

"In another universe, I'm sure you and I would have made some beautiful babies, Eric Northman." I smiled at him, meaning every word I was saying. Any baby with his genes would be a gorgeous child. "But I am quite happy to remain childless in this one. I wouldn't risk the telepathy being passed on, and now I have the fairy genes to worry about, too. Not to mention the dangerous life I would bring an innocent child into. Believe me. I don't want a baby."

"If you say so." He seemed pleased enough to close the subject, but I could feel the doubts still lurking in his blood.

"I do," I replied firmly. "Now, what else should I tell you about?"

"How about you come back over here before you do anything else?" Eric patted the spot next to him, and after just a moment's hesitation, I slid over to reclaim my place.

"There was this one dream where you told me…" I cuddled back against the hard planes of my vampire's chest, trying desperately to forget all the issues standing between us.

The next hour or so passed quickly. Eric was a great listener and my stories eventually shifted from just recollections of dreams past to telling him random snippets from my life. Eric laughed uproariously as I related some of the most amusing thoughts I'd ever had the pleasure of over-hearing.

It was as near a perfect night as I could imagine there being right now. I felt myself slipping closer and closer to sleep. It seemed natural and right to cuddle up to my vampire, here in this room, of all places.

I let sleep take me.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading. Please be kind and take a minute to tell me what you think of the chapter, or the story.<p> 


	41. Double double toil and trouble

A huge thank you for all the lovely reviews, people. You rock!

As always, Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball own these characters, not me.

* * *

><p>The joyful chirping of birds in the tree just outside the window pulled me from a deep, peaceful slumber. Stretching, I realized I felt better than I had in days, both mentally and physically. I guess a little vampire cuddle time does a girl good. Shoving thoughts of Eric to the side for the time being, I jumped out of bed and hurried through a shower. There would be no bad hostess awards for me today. The bedside clock read 9:45 as I left the room.<p>

A strong herbal aroma hung in the air and I followed it all the way to the kitchen. An array of bottles and bags like the ones Amelia used yesterday were lined up across the pristine marble counters. I guessed she and the rest of the coven arrived with Alcide as planned.

I set to work getting some coffee brewing, remembering to plug in the kettle as well for my new witchy friends. A quick check of the fridge told me someone had picked up the groceries I requested and after waiting for the coffee to brew and pouring myself a cup, I gathered the ingredients needed to get some lunch going.

This may be Eric's home, but I was playing hostess today and I was determined to get a gold star for effort. An hour later, I had a pot of chicken soup simmering on the stove, a big bowl of salad was waiting to be dressed, and a plate of cucumber sandwiches had the crusts removed and were sliced into finger sized pieces. I tidied up the kitchen behind me and went to find some shoes once I was satisfied with my efforts.

"Hey there, Sookie," Alcide greeted me as I opened the door. He was sitting on the stone step in front of the house and stood as I walked out to join him. "Hi, Alcide," I smiled in return.

"Your friends are in the back yard," he offered. "Not sure what they're up to, but that's where you can find them."

"Thanks," I replied. "Can I interest you in a coffee?"

I let down my shields a little and listened carefully. Other than the five witches in the back yard, it was only Alcide and myself within range.

"I'd appreciate that, ma'am." He nodded his head. Had he been wearing a hat, I'm sure he would have doffed it.

"Give up that ma'am stuff and you can have two," I replied lightly, a smile on my face. "You all alone today?"

"Just for a little while. Tray had to go pick up some supplies for your friends." He jerked his head in the direction of the yard and I wondered if he had a problem with magic, or with the witches themselves. "The rest of the crew is back in Bon Temps."

"Everything alright here?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, sure." His plaid shirt was blue today. I stared at the pattern for a minute as I tried to listen in on his thoughts. To my surprise, they were colored with jealousy and envy. "Not used to being idle, I suppose."

"Let me get you that coffee," I offered. It took just a minute to return to the kitchen and pour a cup. Returning, I gave him the cup and was just about to head off when he spoke again.

"So, what's your association with the vamps, anyway?" He busied himself looking into his mug rather than my eyes.

"It's complicated." I replied. I wouldn't know how to honestly answer that one.

He snorted. "Trust me, Sookie, it's always complicated when it comes to vampires." He finally met my eyes. "You working for them, or involved with one of 'em?"

"I guess a little of both," I replied honestly. "Let's just say I'm an asset of Eric Northman's."

"Shit! Northman?" Alcide all but spit his coffee everywhere. "You belong to the Sheriff?"

"I don't belong to anyone but me, thank you very much!" I replied in a heated tone.

"So you're just an asset, then? Not his?" I couldn't help but notice the note of hope in his voice. I was flattered – he was an incredibly handsome man – but I just wasn't interested.

"I wouldn't say that." I wondered how to simplify the story. "I am an asset of Area Five, yes. But I am also tied to Eric by blood. I am his, as he is mine."

The werewolf looked at me with something akin to pity shining in his emerald green eyes. "Did he force you into drinking his blood?"

"What? Oh, god, no. It's not like that at all!" I'd created an even bigger mess. "We are tied by choice. In no way was I forced into it."

"He probably glamoured you." Alcide spoke derisively. "Vamps only give their blood to control, anyway."

"Now you listen good, Alcide Herveaux! First of all, I can't be glamoured. I knew what I was doing, just as he did. And he has given me his blood to heal and protect me, not to control me. He has never tried to control me, ever!"

I was disgusted he would automatically think so little of Eric. I wonder what he'd think if he knew I had the power to call Eric to me, not the other way around?

"Sorry." Alcide held up his hands and muttered his apology. "Sure you know better than me."

"Well, I do, trust me." I crossed my arms across my chest. "What are you doing working for vampires if you don't like them?"

"It's not that I don't like 'em, sugar. I like some of them well enough. I just don't trust them." Some semblance of a twisted grin rearranged his features briefly. It made me wonder what he'd look like as a wolf. "I'm here because my dad's an uncontrollable fucking gambler. Northman held some of his debt."

"You're working off your father's debt by protecting me?" His status as a contractor/bodyguard made more sense now.

"Yes."

"But what about your whole crew?" There were easily a dozen yesterday.

"What can I say? He's a crappy gambler. It was a large debt Northman was holding." Alcide shrugged as if this kind of thing were normal. Perhaps to him, they were.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm glad you've got an opportunity to get rid of it," I replied, trying to keep the sympathy I was feeling from bleeding into my tone.

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, I've got to go find the ladies," I said brightly into the awkwardly lengthening silence. I gave him a wave of my hand before wandering in the direction of the backyard.

The property was a lot larger than I had thought last night. The darkness of the evening had covered the presence of the tall fences bordering the property; in the daylight it was obvious how huge the lot was. I hadn't noticed last night that it was in the middle of a five house cul-de-sac. I walked slowly around the side of the house, admiring the riot of colors bursting forth from the flowerbeds, even this late in the season.

A sizable deck took up a big chunk of the real estate in the back yard, even though the gently rolling lawn continued on for at least a couple of hundred feet before ending at the fence line. The deck was accessible from two doors, the one I'd seen in the living room and one I suspected might lead from what seemed to be an office space.

I couldn't resist taking a better look and I climbed the couple of steps to the top. Cheerful pots of red geraniums sat on every step. The deck was even bigger than it looked from up here. A large hot tub took up an entire corner; a glass-topped table and chairs set and stainless steel barbeque sat on the other side. The middle space was occupied with a large fire pit, flanked on all sides by deep, comfortable patio chairs.

I roamed around the deck, admiring the large wooden planters and built in benches. It really was lovely. I wished it was warm enough to sunbathe, but the early November weather was nowhere near warm enough.

I could hear voices in the distance, but couldn't see anyone. Curiosity finally got to me and I walked over the other far side of the deck to the short flight of stairs there. Keeping with the theme on the other staircase, scarlet geraniums nodded at me as I ran lightly down the wooden stairs.

Following the voices I could hear in my ears and in my head, I wandered around the far side of the house and brought up solid as I caught sight of the coven of witches doing their thing. I'd watched Amelia cast some wards yesterday, and Pam and I both watched Octavia strengthen and add to those wards.

This was something entirely different. The five women were holding hands, standing together inside a maybe ten foot wide circle. I was guessing it was fashioned from salt, but that was really just a guess based on some books I'd read and a movie I'd once watched. It could have been baking soda or powdered bat's claws, for all I know.

A brass fire pit – much smaller than the one on the deck – sat dead center. There were no visible flames, but instead a murky, odorless white smoke rose from the basin. The witches gathered in a circle around the smoke. Operating as if one entity, each woman held her face to the sky and with eyes closed, chanted the same words over and over. I had no idea what they were saying, but I stood stock-still in fascination. It's not every day you get to watch witches do their thing.

I couldn't help but think about Gran. I think she would have been just as fascinated as I, and positively brimming with curiosity. She'd whole-heartedly embraced the idea of vampires when they came out, not to mention her association with fairies. Then again, perhaps Gran did know about witches. I was starting to suspect she'd known about vampires before they revealed themselves. It wouldn't be shocking to think Fintan explained the whole supernatural world to Gran.

I don't know how long I watched, but eventually the smoke faded and the witches seemed to come back into themselves. Octavia stepped forward to take the lead, grabbing a handful of whatever was left in the basin and scattered it around the circle in a counter-clockwise motion. Only then did the witches leave the confines of the circle.

"Hey Sookie!" Amelia called. Her bright smile was contagious and I returned it with a wave.

"Sorry if I was intruding, but it was fascinating to see. What were you doing?"

"Some protection spells. We got all the wards placed this morning. Now we're doing some spells to deter anyone with ill-intent." Amelia grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "And you weren't intruding at all."

"Thank you," I replied sincerely. "We really do appreciate it."

"It's nothing, really. And it gives us a chance to flex our magical muscles, so to speak." The rest of the witches caught up to us and Amelia introduced me to the two I hadn't met last night.

"Are you ladies hungry? I have a light lunch prepared?" An enthusiastic chorus of approval met my question and I smiled at them. "Great. I'll meet you in the kitchen then."

Twenty minutes later and I was hosting my very first witches tea. I grinned to myself as I looked around the table. Who woulda thunk it?

"I hope everything went well in Bon Temps?" I asked when everyone was seated and served.

"Everyting went more den fine dere, child," Octavia's strong voice belied her diminutive size and wizened appearance. "Dat land have more magic den it should."

"What do you mean?" I knew the fairy portal was close, but I didn't think they would be able to feel the Fae magic.

"Dat land been blessed with magic many times. Some of dat magic in you, too." She took a noisy slurp of her soup before looking at me. "Tis a sin to waste all dat magic."

"I am part-fairy. I've been told I have magic, but I don't know who to use it." I shrugged. I still wasn't sure I wanted to know how and Claudine hadn't shown up again.

"You are?" Amelia asked excitedly. "I've never known a fairy before. I'd love to know what magic you could do. I bet it's really awesome."

"You've got de fae magic in you's, but dere's more too." Octavia's tone brooked no arguments and I saw Katerina nodding her head in agreement.

"That's all the magic I know about." I laughed nervously. "I've never done anything magical in my life."

"It don't come easy, child," Katerina scolded mildly. "You've got to connect to the mother. You need to learn how to feed your power."

"I'm sorry. I just don't know what you are talking about," I replied, bafflement lacing my voice.

"All magic, no matter what kind, all evolves from nature." Amelia kind of explained as the others looked on. "Katerina is suggesting you learn to connect with Mother Nature. You have to be able to connect in order to free your power."

It was interesting. Claudine had suggested my fairy powers, whatever they might be, were powered by the sun. No matter how hard I tried, though, I just couldn't feel anything different, just couldn't make the connection that way.

The witches think I need to commune with Mother Nature. I'd always loved being outside and doing a bit of gardening, but I'd never particularly thought of myself as a nature child or anything.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin. Claudine suggested I try to use the power of the sun to access my spark, but that hasn't been working for me, either."

"Dat's because tis only a spark. You fan dat spark to a flame."

Great. Something else I didn't know how to do.

I was becoming frustrated with the entire conversation. It was like everything else with supernatural situations. I always felt out of place; everything went over my head. I fought hard against the impulse to shut the whole thing down. If I was going to learn to eventually fit in, I needed to master this.

I needed to know who I was and this was a big part of me.

"As I said, I really don't understand all of this. I only found out about my Fae heritage a couple of months ago. I've had one sort of lesson and that's it. I simply don't know how to access these powers I supposedly have."

"I know this must be overwhelming for you, my dear." I turned to face Marjorie, one of the witches I met last night. "It was much later in life for me before I realized my potential, too. You are young and have all the time in the world to learn."

"I don't know," I replied doubtfully. "Everyone keeps telling me I need to be prepared to protect myself. I feel like a bit of a failure in that regard."

"Nonsense!" She declared. "You can't be a failure; you haven't even really tried yet. You just need to be taught and learn how to access all the magic you possess."

Her no-nonsense, sensible approach reminded me of Gran, but that's where the comparison ended. Whereas Gran had embraced her advancing age with grace and dignity, Marjorie was fighting it, kicking and screaming all the way to the finish line. Her immaculately coiffed hair was an intense shade of red rarely found in nature, set off to flaming perfection with matching red lips and nails. She kind of reminded me of an older Arlene.

"I do need to learn," I conceded, playing with my salad, "but I don't know anyone who can teach me."

"You have five teachers right here." Katerina stated. I looked at her in surprise.

"That's awfully kind of you, but you all live in New Orleans." I protested.

"But we will be here for the foreseeable future," Amelia piped in helpfully.

"You're staying?" I asked with some surprise. "I thought you were only here to do the wards."

"We stay until de bad magic be vanished." Octavia stated firmly, her eyes locked into mine. "Tis enough time to learn."

"If you think you can teach me, I'd love to learn." I hadn't anticipated such an offer, but Gran didn't raise a fool. I knew better than to kick a gift horse in the mouth.

"We've got a ton of time left today," Amelia's excitement was contagious. I had my doubts this lesson would go any better than Claudine's failed attempt, but I was willing to try. If there was magic within me, I wanted to find it. I glanced at the clock. It was still only 12:30.

"You don't have anything else to do today?"

"Not till de vampire rises." I got that odd look from Octavia again. "We must prepare, but dere is time, child. Dere's always time for de magic."

A knock sounded on the front door before I could properly express my appreciation to the witches. I smiled as I excused myself to get the door.

"Hey there, Sookie. I wanted to introduce you to Tray Dawson." Alcide's hands were stuck into the front pockets of his well-worn jeans. "Tray will be stationed here with me until we are done."

I angled myself to face Mr. Dawson. Approximately the same age as Alcide, Tray Dawson was just as tall, but built even bigger than Alcide. He wasn't quite as handsome, but there was an appealing cheerful openness on his wide face.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Stackhouse." He inclined his head in greeting.

"It's Sookie, Mr. Dawson." I stuck my hand out and it was quickly engulfed by his rough, calloused one. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this."

A wide smile stole across his features, his strong white teeth showcased prominently. "Call me Tray, Sookie. And the pleasure is all mine."

"Tray's from your neck of the woods, Sookie."

"Is that right? Where do you hail from, Tray?" I asked politely.

"Just outside of Monroe, actually. I got a motorcycle shop over there. I've spent a bit of time around Bon Temps before, too. I know your brother Jason. Used to watch him play ball back in the day. Damn shame he didn't go on to play college ball."

"He sure could play football," I agreed. "Football and girls were all he was interested in back then. There wasn't a college around that wouldn't have shredded his application."

Tray laughed heartily. "If you'll pardon my saying so, he hasn't changed much."

I laughed along with him. Anyone who knew Jason at all knew he was only interested in a few things; football and girls still being high on the list, right alongside hunting, beer and his truck.

"He just wouldn't be Jason any other way."

"We'll let you get back to your company, Sookie." Alcide spoke up. "I just wanted to introduce you to Tray here."

I nodded, thinking of the witches sitting in the kitchen. It was time to go discuss my witchy training.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Tray. Thanks again for helping out." I smiled at both of them. "I got some hot chicken soup in there. Can I interest either of you in a bowl?"

Both declined, with Tray explaining he'd picked up lunch for them while he was out. An offer of coffee was not refused. Alcide followed me into the kitchen to get the cups.

"I'll be cooking lunch every day while we're here," I said as I poured the coffee. "Don't think it's any imposition to have a meal with me. Honestly, it gives me something to do."

"I'll remember that." Alcide added sugar to both mugs and cream to only one. "We'll be happy to take you up on that tomorrow."

"Okay. I look forward to it." He smiled and the corners of his eyes crinkled. I watched as he disappeared from sight.

"He is a fine looking man, isn't he?" Amelia's appreciative voice seemed to echo through the silence of the kitchen. In truth, all the ladies had given Alcide more than a once over.

"He is handsome," I agreed.

"Are you getting some of that?" My witch friend inquired casually.

"No!" I was horrified and a little embarrassed. You'd have to be blind not to notice how hot he was – and even then his slow drawl would still give me tingles – but I wasn't interested. Eric was the only man I ever wanted.

"Why not?"

I stared at her, not knowing how to respond. In all the confusion, I'd forgotten to ask Pam just what the witches knew, and how much I should tell them. I was saved from my dilemma when Octavia spoke.

"She belongs to de vampire." The withered old witch stared directly at me, her brown eyes surprisingly bright in her wrinkled face.

"I belong to myself." My tone might have been more strident than I intended, but I was getting sick of having to defend my own claim to myself. I might also have been a tad unnerved by Octavia's soul-penetrating stare.

"You belong to yourself but you belong with de vampire, too." She nodded her head, in full agreement with herself.

"Why would you say that?" Octavia hadn't even seen Eric and I together. "Just because I have taken his blood, I should have to stay with him forever?"

"Dere's more den his blood in you, child." She stayed infuriatingly calm. "Your blood tis also in him."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? I stared at her, wondering if there was some sort of class for supes that taught all of them to be so damned enigmatic and cryptic all the time. I'd find the time to take it.

Four sets of eyes and ears followed the exchange between us. I decided to drop the subject for now, but resolved to speak privately to the old witch again soon. If she had even one answer for me, I wanted it.

"So, who's up for some Magic 101?" I asked brightly, turning away from Octavia's relentless gaze. "Anyone feel like teaching me some basics?"

"Octavia and Marjorie are going to stay here and prepare for this evening. You're going to come outside with the rest of us." Amelia announced. They must have discussed it while I was with the Were's. "We'll take it easy on you, don't worry."

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, the sun falling toward the horizon faster than I'd imagined. I'd like to be able to say I mastered everything I needed to know in an afternoon, but that's just too far from the truth. I hadn't gotten any further than I had with Claudine.

I hadn't felt any magical connection with Mother Nature; no sparks flew through the air. But I did feel as if I understood the concepts of magic better. The ladies did a great job of explaining things to me, and Katerina even showed me some ways to relax my mind and free my thoughts. Supposedly this would help me access my power, when I figured out how, that it.

I felt a little like a dog chasing its tail, going round and round in circles, but never getting anywhere. I doubted the existence of any magic within me, let alone the crapload other people seemed to think I had. I decided to do just what any dog eventually does, and give up. The sun was setting soon, and I wanted to get cleaned up and eat before sunset.

Eric would be up soon. My heart felt a little lighter just thinking about it.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading! I hope the characters were somewhat believable. I've always liked Octavia, but it's strange to write her. Please let me know what you think.<p>

Thanks again!


	42. Firelight and Fairy Magic

**_This chapter pushes the total word count for this story to over 200,000 words! When I first started this story, I never, ever would have thought it would be nearly as long as it is. The final word count will probably double by the time it's finished., which should be by the end of October.  
><em>**

**_I sincerely appreciate all of you who have stuck with this story from the beginning, as well as all of you who've just started to read. It never fails to amaze me how many people are reading Just in Time._**

**_As always, the delightful characters of the Southern Vampire Mysteries / True Blood are the property of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. I'm just having fun with them._**

* * *

><p>"That was Pam," Eric informed me as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "She and Godric aren't coming tonight."<p>

"Oh?" I asked, my tummy fluttering. It was just an hour and a half past sunset. The witches were just finishing up outside; Octavia had placed some stronger protection wards after getting a small drop of a very wary Eric's blood. She'd gotten drop of mine, too, to create a spell to deter anyone wishing to harm myself or Eric. I'd given over my blood without any thought; only considering the consequences of blood magic after Eric raised his objection.

"Godric is gone to New Orleans to see if he can find Appius." He stuck his hands in the front pocket of his well-fitting jeans and just looked at me. "Pam is going to stay at Fangtasia for most of the evening. She says it's important to act as if nothing is wrong. The witches are going to meet her there."

"Why are the witches going to Fangtasia?"

"There's some kind of spell they can perform which will allow them to see the events that occurred in my office that evening. Pam called it an ectoplasmic reconstruction." Eric casually shrugged his wide shoulders, indicating he knew as little as I about what it meant.

"I didn't know such a thing were possible," I wondered aloud. "They can really do that?"

"Pam tells me there is a chance the spell will fail, but she is seemingly hopeful." Another shrug.

"It is for the best," I pointed out. "The sooner we find who's responsible, the sooner things can go back to normal."

Eric's face didn't change much, but I could feel his jumbled emotions trying to push through the wall I'd built around the bond. He gave me a final look before turning to stride over to the fireplace. As he started to build the fire, I could have sworn I heard him say, "That's what I'm afraid of." But I just couldn't be sure.

I sat in silent contemplation as he skillfully built the fire. I was a child of the sun, but the one thing I really looked forward to in the cooler months was sitting by a fire, watching the logs crackle and burn to ash. The fire was blazing by the time Eric joined me on the couch.

The quietness surrounding us was oddly comfortable. I relaxed into the over-sized sofa and watched the fire. The overhead lights were off, and the only other source of light in the room was the small lamp in the far corner. Eric had switched off the other two before he'd sat down.

What might have felt oppressively intimate just a couple of days ago instead was soothing. The tightness I'd carried inside me these past few days melted away, leaving me in a warm pool of contentment. It was nice. It felt right to be like this with Eric.

"How was your day?" He broke the lengthening silence.

"Interesting." I pulled myself upright and tried to shake off the warm groggy feeling fires always gave me. "The witches tried to teach me how to get in touch with my magic, but I don't think it really worked. We're going to try again, though."

"You don't know how to control your magic?" He shifted his large frame until he was facing me.

"No. I'm not even sure I have any magic, but other people keep telling me I do. According to them, I have all kinds of power, but I can't feel it. Even if I did manage to somehow find the on switch, I wouldn't know how to control it or switch it off. I could hurt myself, or someone else."

"There's magic inside you. I can see it." His eyes traced lightly over my features. "You have a glow, a golden aura about you."

I sighed. Another conversation I didn't really want to have.

"That's because of you, not me." I said. "It happened when we exchanged blood the second time. I only glow when I'm around you. In fact, no one else seems to see it but you and me." I barely noticed it now.

"I've never heard of such a thing." He replied with a touch of wonder in his voice.

"Claudine says it is because of your blood reacting with my spark, but that's the only evidence I've seen of this mysterious spark." Glowing was not known as a handy defensive skill.

"Then it is evidence enough, for now." Eric's tone was firm. "I have faith you will master your abilities when the time is right."

"That's great, Eric, it really is. But everyone keeps telling me I've got to defend myself, and maybe even you, too. How can I do that? I am no closer to finding my spark, let alone using the darned thing." I couldn't stop the exasperation and frustration from creeping into my tone.

"I'm sorry." Eric rarely apologized for anything. It was a clear reminder that this man, this vampire wasn't the same. "I know this is hard for you."

"So am I," I replied meekly. "I just get discouraged some times. I feel like a failure."

"You haven't failed. You just need more practice." He took a deep breath and I wondered why. He didn't need it. "Remember what you told me before about how long it took you to master your shields and the languages I taught you. Did you master the sword the first time you picked it up?"

"But that's different," I protested automatically. "That was all stuff I didn't know at all. My spark, this magic I'm supposed to have, is part of me. It's inside me already. It pisses me off that I can't control it."

"It's not different at all. You might have had this magical lineage your whole life, but you've not been trained. It will come to you, especially with a competent teacher. But maybe you aren't as pissed off as you need to be," Eric mused, his blue eyes staring though mine. "Maybe you need to get past the frustration and get truly angry."

"It won't do anyone any good for me to be angry." His suggestion puzzled me. Anger was something I tried to suppress, not embrace. "How's that going to change anything?"

"Anger sometimes brings a single-mindedness in its wake. Perhaps you need something more powerful than peace and harmony to make the connection." He nodded to himself, a lock of golden hair falling to frame the sharp edges of his cheekbones. He habitually pushed it back and continued. "It's something to think about."

Pondering his thoughts, I had to wonder if perhaps he was right. I was getting nowhere with the methods Claudine and the witches suggested. Maybe I did need to harness something more. I was left wondering if it were anger I needed, or something else.

"I don't know if anger is the key, but you are right about one thing. The deep-breathing, find-your-inner-peace methods aren't working for me. I'm getting frustrated with all of it."

"You have to let the frustration go. It's nothing more than a distraction."

"Easy for you to say," I retorted sharply. "I'm in the dark about everything! I don't understand magic, or how to control it. I don't know how to deal with not knowing. That's what frustrates me the most, the not knowing."

"What do you mean?" He asked gently. I took a deep breath and tried to gather myself before I spoke.

"I'm used to knowing everything, Eric. I was never left guessing." He was looking at me with a blank expression, so I tapped the side of my temple to indicate my extra sense.

"I can see how that would be difficult for you," he said slowly, as if trying the words out for the first time. "Not being able to understand something you consider fundamental to your nature when you are forced to understand so much more."

"Exactly! I've always known everything that goes on with everybody I know, but I don't know what's going on with me." I sighed and flopped back, my head rolling on the back of the sofa cushions. My hair was slipping loose from the messy ponytail I'd put it in earlier. I threw the tie on the coffee table and sighed. "Just ignore me, Eric. I'm behaving like a child."

His long arm closed the distance between us and his nimble fingers smoothed my tousled hair. It felt good. I leaned into his touch.

"You've had a lot to contend with in a very short period of time," he observed quietly. "Letting go and getting it out is good for you. It is good for me to know what is happening with you."

"You have enough to deal with without me pouting about my problems." I felt a guilty for unloading on him like that.

"Your problems are my problems, Sookie." His fingers stilled in my hair, but his large hand stayed in place, cupping the back of my head. "You are the only person I know."

"That's not true. What about Pam and Godric?" Amelia and the witches didn't count. I understood that much.

"They are strangers. I don't know them like I know you. I don't care about them." He didn't specifically say he cared for me, but I felt it was his intention. Warmth spread through me quickly.

"They're not strangers, Eric. They are your maker and child. The two most important people in your life."

"That's impossible." He shook his head and his fingers resumed their exploration of my hair. "There's no way you wouldn't be the most important person in either life."

"I don't know if you saw it that way," I replied softly, a little sad. His words reminded me of how unsettled things were with the other Eric.

"I asked Godric what he knew of our relationship." It wasn't surprising. I knew they talked and it would have been obvious for Eric to ask, or for Godric to offer the information he had. "He told me you were the most important thing to have happened in my thousand years."

"Perhaps the important part is what you are hiding," I stated flatly. "Perhaps it is not me who is important, but rather whatever it is I represent to you."

"I think I need to take Godric up on his offer. I'm tired of not knowing." He applied gentle pressure to turn my head to face him. "I need to make things right with you, Sookie. I want make it right for you."

"If that is what you need to do." I kept my tone light and tried to keep my face as motionless as possible. My heart was beating faster, though, and I know he could hear it. He couldn't hear just how desperately I hoped he would do just that.

"I know you don't want to know until I can make an informed decision to tell you, but I feel I must know now. I don't want to wait and I want you to trust me enough to know whether you should know now or later." His magnetic gaze drew me in. I took a couple of breaths before he carried on. "You know, there's a possibility you are blowing this out of proportion. It could be nothing near as bad as you fear."

"I'd like to believe that, I really would. But if it were that innocuous and innocent, why hide it at all? And once you were aware I knew you were hiding it, why not fess up then?" It had been nearly two weeks between my visits to Fangtasia. If it were that simple, he would have told me long before. Whatever it was, he had been clearly struggling to share it with me.

"I'm not saying it is innocuous or innocent, Sookie. I'm saying it might be something you can live with."

What could I live with? The thought hit me with some force. It wasn't something I had ever really given much consideration to, other than fidelity and monogamy. It was incredibly short-sighted of me, I realized now. There was a lot to consider with Eric, with or without his memories. What could I live with?

The importance of his position within the vampire hierarchy was something I was coming to understand. It was a trial by fire initiation for me into the world of vampire politics, but I was coming to grips with vampire ways and laws. Pam had done a great job of filling in the blanks and I'd had an up close and personal view of the Machiavellian ways of the vampires Eric dealt with regularly. I didn't like it, but as long as I was kept out of it as much as possible, I could live with it.

The violence seemingly inherent in his world wasn't something I could condone, but it was something I had come to accept in a way. Supernatural justice was strict for a reason. Eric could not take the risk of appearing weak, and therefore would continue to dole out justice as required. I could live with it.

In the great state of Louisiana, it was not legal for humans and vampires to wed. Eric and I had never spoken of marriage, but I'd nevertheless come to grips with the fact I'd never walk down the aisle in a flowing white dress, surrounded by all my nearest and dearest loved ones. Throughout my life, though, I'd always assumed I would never marry, so I could live with that.

I could live with not seeing him in the daylight. I could live with my life on the night shift.

I even wondered if I could live with him not loving me. What was love, anyway, other than a term people used to describe a set of emotions? I felt his emotions. I thought I knew what they were. Could I live with him never using the words to express them? I thought that maybe I could live with that.

What I couldn't live with at all is if he was simply faking everything he felt for me. I'd rationalized away most of the words I'd heard him spew at Godric that night, but he had said his interest in me was twisted. I didn't know what that mean, and I didn't know what he meant by dreaming of my death. My dream vampire had dreamed of me, too, but his dreams had not been of my death.

Most of all, I realized I couldn't live with –

"Are you alright?" Eric asked softy. "You've been staring off into space for some time now."

"I don't know what Godric will say any more than you, but I do know a bit about what I would be able to live with. I was just thinking about what I wouldn't be able to live with," I confessed honestly.

"What would that be?" His genuine curiosity shone in his brilliant eyes.

"I couldn't live with being lied to. I don't care if the truth hurts or not, I won't be lied to." Mama and Daddy had fought all the time when we were kids. They fought a lot about me, but lots of times it was because one caught the other in a lie. Mama would lie about how much she was spending; Daddy would lie about how many beers he had with his friends. All those innocent little lies chipped away at the trust they had in one another.

I wouldn't live like that.

"I promise I will never lie to you," Eric vowed softly.

"You promised that before. You said you might not always tell me everything, but what you do tell me will be the truth." A flicker of hurt shivered through me as I repeated his words. I had thought they meant something, but I realize now how open-ended Eric left things for himself.

"That sounds like a fair compromise. I imagine there would be vampire matters I couldn't share with you, but I swear, I will never keep anything pertaining to you, or to us, from you." His earnest expression nearly did me in. It was easy to forget this was the same Eric I was still upset with.

"We'll see," I answered vaguely. "I've also decided I need to embrace my supernatural side. I can't keep pretending I'm just a human waitress. If I am going to be a part of this world, I need to be fully aware of my role here. I need to understand the lay of the land, so to speak."

"I think it is a good idea to learn all you can, but I think it's best to lie low until you have mastered whatever gifts you have. You need to be as prepared as possible first, and you need to fully understand the ramifications of immersing yourself into our world." Eric spoke gravely, reminding me very much of the Sheriff of Area Five. I couldn't fault his logic.

"That's my plan," I confirmed. "I know I need to learn how to do all of that first. I don't know enough about anything to really decide if I want to immerse myself, as you say. I do know that the cat is out of the bag and I'm never going to coax it back in. My secret is known to many now. I'm part of it now whether I want it or not."

"Who is aware of your fairy connection?" He quizzed me.

"I told you, and Lafayette. I would imagine you told Pam, and Godric also knows." I stopped and thought. "That should be everyone. Why do you ask?"

"Your telepathy is quite a prize in its own right," Eric explained. He stretched a long arm across the back of the sofa, toying with the ends of my hair. "It is probably best word of your connection to the Brigant's isn't known until you can fend for yourself better."

"Niall feels the same, although he is prepared to step forward and claim me as his kin if need be. It makes sense to wait, though." I fully agreed with Eric's suggestion.

"Why has he not assigned a tutor for you? I find it strange the Prince of Fae would leave his kin to muddle through without help." Eric stood and walked across to the fireplace. I couldn't help but admire the view as he bent over to retrieve another log for the fire. I averted my eyes as he threw the log in and turned to come back.

"Things are very unsettled in Fae right now, or that's what he told us. He fears his enemies are watching too carefully, and he doesn't want to draw undue attention to me. Claudine is supposed to help me learn some stuff, but I haven't seen her in a while."

"Do you have the means to contact him?"

"Not really, no. I have a number for Claudine, and I know she can reach him." I didn't think my AT&T plan covered other realms anyway.

"We may have to contact him at some point. I'm sure there are things only another Fae can teach you."

"It's not something we need to worry about right away. I'm hoping to hear from Claudine soon, anyway." If I didn't, I'd call her. I needed whatever help I could get, and quickly.

"You're right." He fell into silence beside me.

The flames danced and jumped, the burning logs cracking under the exertion. I watched the sparks fly as I thought of all we'd spoken about. It was nice to be able to talk to him like this.

I looked over to find him as deep in contemplation as I was.

"Penny for your thoughts," I offered. I smiled as he glanced at me.

"I don't know if they are worth that much," he replied a bit glumly. "I was wondering if Pam or Godric have made any headway."

I felt guilty for focusing so much on my problems when his were obviously larger, not to mention more pressing.

"I'm sorry." I reached for his hand and held it between my palms. "I know they are working as hard as they can."

"It doesn't feel right to sit here and send others to do my dirty work." He spoke clearly and I could see the truth of his words plainly. He was, without a doubt, a take charge kind of guy. Sitting on the sidelines was a position Eric rarely found himself in.

I couldn't help drawing the parallels between our situations. I felt for him.

"You couldn't stop them, even if you tried," I reassured him softly. "It's important you remain out of sight, and this is something they want to do for you. You would do the same for them."

"Perhaps," he muttered. "It still chafes. I don't like feeling useless."

'You aren't useless. You are my only night-time guard." I knew it was weak, but I had to offer something. He seemed so down in the dumps.

"And I would protect you at all costs," he retorted seamlessly. "But I would still feel better if I could something – anything – to help myself."

"I know. Perhaps when we find who's responsible, you'll be able to help then."

"I will kill them."

Deep down, I always knew that would be the ultimate outcome. I hadn't wanted to think about it and, like so many other things, had shoved it aside to think about later.

I knew I couldn't argue for saving their lives. Justice had to be served. This was a serious attack on a powerful vampire Sheriff. If others got word of any leniency shown, Eric, and Area Five by extension, would be considered weak and vulnerable to attack.

I knew all of this and still couldn't help feeling queasy at the thought of them dying, perhaps by Eric's hand. It was perhaps the most important reminder that despite all my talk of embracing my supernatural side, I still very much had a human side, too.

"I know." I sighed. "It's the only way."

He looked me in the eye, one eyebrow slightly elevated as he gave me a measured look.

"I thought you might object."

"You thought wrong." I met his scrutiny without blinking. "Morally, my human side is having a fit. It is murder. But this isn't a human matter, and I accept all the reasons why they must be killed."

A wicked, slow grin spread across his face. My breath caught as I watched his face transform in the firelight. He hadn't had much reason to smile these past few days. It was a beautiful sight.

"You constantly surprise me, Ms. Stackhouse." Mesmerized by the light crinkling around his stunning eyes, I simply stared as he spoke. "I quite like it, even though I suspect I am not a man who enjoys surprises."

"I'm glad to be of service, Mr. Northman." I thought I sounded a little too breathy and the smoldering look in Eric's face kind of confirmed my suspicion.

What can I say? Memories or not, real Eric, amnesia Eric, dream Eric – they were all one and the same, wrapped up together in a neat bundle in my head. I might have been angry with one of them, but sitting here all relaxed and warm in front of a fire with the current version of the man I'd loved for many years? Who could blame me for being a little warm and tingly when he smiled and flirted?

ERIC

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

The words were spoken by Winston Churchill all the way back in 1939. Silly facts like that I still knew. Churchill was speaking of Russia at the beginning of the Second World War, but to me they best described Sookie Stackhouse.

She was amazing. I couldn't get enough of her. Pam's call to inform me they would not be coming secretly delighted me. I wanted to spend time with her, not them.

I hadn't lied when I said Godric and Pam felt like strangers. I felt the blood ties between us and knew they were exactly who they said they were, but it just left me cold. I appreciated what they were doing on my behalf, but I would prefer to spend the evening with Sookie. If given a choice, I think I would always choose Sookie over either of them.

I felt something when I was with her. The foreignness of those feelings told me they weren't something I was accustomed to. It didn't surprise me much. Vampires don't feel emotion as humans do. Learning to control one's emotions is something every new vampire is taught very early on. Those who didn't learn this lesson well inevitably met an early end. Control is imperative to survival. It's as basic as that.

In this case, I not only enjoyed feeling this warm rush of emotion whenever I looked her way, or even thought of her; I welcomed the riot of feeling she evoked inside my dead heart. It made me realize I was still among the living after all.

But she was just as much a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma to me as Russia was to Churchill. She surprised me at every turn, her fiery nature never far from the surface. Even without my memories, I knew I'd never met another like her. She challenged me; she tempted me; she aroused me. She consumed my thoughts and burned my body.

I wanted her with a fierceness that surprised me. I wanted her in my bed, yes, but I wanted her in my arms and by my side just as much.

I stood and held out my hand to her.

"Come on," I said. I knew I had to get us out of our cozy surroundings before I attempted to seduce her. As much as I wanted to, I vowed I would not put that pressure on her. I knew she wanted me just as much and I hoped she would be the one to come to me.

She placed her hand in mine as she asked, "Where are we going?"

"Let's go walk around the gardens. It's a fine evening." I pulled her to her feet and steadied her as she found her balance. She smelled wonderful this close. "And then we're going to see if you can send some fairy sparks flying."

"What?" Her face wore a comical expression of mingled excitement, confusion and fear.

"We're going to go out in the yard and you're going to find a tree, or a rock, or a blade of grass for all I care. You're going to take all that anger you've got bottled up there and we're going to see if you can disintegrate it."

"You're crazy!" She exclaimed, instinctively trying to pull her arm back.

"Tsk, tsk, Sookie." I scolded her playfully. "It's not nice to call people names."

"I'm not sorry. You are nuts," she muttered rebelliously. "I can't blow things up."

"Yet," I corrected with a grin. "You can't blow things up yet. And we're going to go see if we can fix that." I steered her toward the sliding glass doors and she followed without further comment.

The evening was nice and I enjoyed the crisp autumn air as we walked. She wasn't saying much, and I left her to her thoughts. I was well aware she was stewing over what I said. I hoped her thoughts were enough to rile her up adequately to set her spark blazing.

Sookie had yet to say a word by the time we'd toured most of the yard. Her hand remained clasped with mine, her warmth spreading through me. I was loathe to ruin the peaceful tranquility between us, but I feared waiting any longer would allow her to come to grips with the situation. I wanted her pissed off, not resigned.

"See anything you don't care for?" I pointed to the large tree on the edge of the property. "How about that oak?"

"You are insane," she replied. "That tree is probably two hundred years old. I'm not going to destroy it."

She didn't say she couldn't harm the tree, just that she wouldn't. It was a good sign, I thought.

"How about that chair, then?" I indicated the lounger just visible on the deck.

"I'm not using anything valuable," she retorted. Pulling her hand free, she crossed her arms under her ample breasts. My hand immediately mourned the loss of her warmth. Other parts of me heated by their own accord. "How about that rock?"

I looked where she was pointing and the two foot boulder in the center of a flower bed looked promising enough for me. It would make an admirable target.

"Okay." I nodded my head. "Let's see what you've got."

"Haven't you been listening? I've got nothing," she spat at me vehemently. I didn't want to feel her wrath myself, but I was pleased to see her fire emerge. I was sure it was the key to her spark.

"Prove it," I retorted tauntingly. My reward was my little tigress growling and narrowing her eyes at me. I wondered if she were this fearless with the other me.

"I don't know what to do!" she screamed at me. Her delicious golden aura began to pulse and I could see her fingers twitching at her side.

I pointed at the rock. "Let it all go. Every single thing that has hurt you, scared you or made you angry is inside that rock. Give it what it deserves." Her power was throbbing visibly in the air and I couldn't fathom why she couldn't feel it within her. I could only surmise she had learned to shield it away.

She glared at the rock, an obstinate set to her jaw. I was starting to think she wasn't going to make a move when she really let loose. A raw scream tore from her throat as her light increased and her hands braced in front of her.

Two things happened in that exact moment. The first thing I registered was the hold she had on our bond ripped apart, allowing me full access to our tie for the first time. I reeled under the influx of her raging emotions and only noticed the other important thing just in time.

The rock she'd let loose on had exploded into thousands of smaller pieces. I launched myself at her in the last second, knocking her to the ground as the razor sharp projectiles whizzed by our heads. Once I was sure the danger had passed, I rolled us over, flipping her around so she was resting on me.

"That, my little fairy, was damned impressive." She far exceeded any expectations I'd had.

"Oh, my God!" She pulled herself upright, inadvertently straddling me as she did so. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Her small fists beat excitedly on my chest. "Did I do that?"

"You did that," I confirmed with a grin. I was happy for her. She deserved this for all she'd endured.

She grinned back at me, her bright eyes glowing with excitement. Her aura had diminished considerably, but was still brighter than I was used to.

She was divinely beautiful. She could have been a goddess, or at least a Valkyrie in another life.

"I can't believe it!" She leaned forward and placed two warm hands on my cheeks. Before I could even wonder at her intentions, she came closer and placed warm, supple lips against mine. She kissed me. "Thank you, Eric. Thank you so very much."

It was given out of gratitude, but I couldn't find it in myself to care. She kissed me.

"You are welcome. It was my pleasure, really. As I said, impressive." I wanted to kiss her again. I wanted to kiss her until the sun claimed me. I ran my tongue across my lip, greedily searching for any remaining traces of her.

She held her hands out in front of her, a charming little frown on her face as she examined them. As I suspected, nothing marred her tender flesh. There was no remaining evidence of her display of power.

"I can't freaking believe I did that." Her voice was full of wonder as she looked at her hands, holding them closer for a better look.

"You did. You can probably do a lot more than that, but you should continue to practice that skill as often as you can."

"I will," she confirmed distractedly.

"But no more rocks," I reminded her. It gave me considerable pause to think of the damages those rock shards could have done to her.

"No, no more rocks," she agreed ruefully. "Thank you for saving me from that."

"I never thought of what would happen to the rock," I acknowledged. It was a lapse of judgement on my part.

"You saved me and I really did it," she said happily. "That's what matters now."

Her smile was infectious and I found myself returning her gesture. From my prone position, she was glorious against the backdrop of a million stars, none brighter than her. The heat from her small body seeped through my skin, warming me from the inside out.

"You are right," I told her. "That is what matters."

To my surprise, she leaned forward and laid her upper body along mine and snuggled in. My arms went around her slim back of their own volition, but the rest of me stayed as still as the rock fragments surrounding us. I was afraid the minutest move would startle her and the moment would be over.

It was as close to perfect as I had the right to ask for.

I didn't want it to end.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Fairy Sookie finally rears her head. What do you all think?<em>**

**_Thanks for reading!_**


	43. Connected

_**I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to many of you who've been nice enough to leave messages, but I've had very little time this week, and I decided I should spend it finishing Chapter 65, and getting this chapter reading to post. I deeply appreciated each and every one, though, and I promise I'll be better this week.**_

_**As always, I own nothing.**_

_**This chapter is rated M for a good reason. If you are underage, you should not be reading this story.**_

* * *

><p>"We have the brother in custody." Pam's voice remained cool and collected, betraying none of the excitement I knew she must be feeling.<p>

"Hallow's brother?" I asked.

"Yes." Pam brushed an imagined fleck of lint from her sleeve and looked at Eric. "He's the male you met with that night."

"How? Where did you find him?" I questioned. She turned her pSookieale blue eyes towards me and regarded me for a long moment.

"I think all that matter is we have him. Wouldn't you agree?" she asked me, her tone sickly sweet. I took it to mean she was afraid I might object to the 'how' of it all.

I couldn't blame her. The old might have done just that. The new me simply nodded slowly. I was learning.

The glint in her eye might have been respect.

"Has he given you anything yet?" Eric demanded brusquely.

"No." She frowned, tiny lines forming in between her perfectly arched brows. "We suspect a spell might have been used to prevent his speaking about this under any circumstances."

"You mean he won't talk no matter how much pain you inflict, right?" I asked flatly.

"Well, yes." The blonde vampiress trained a steely gaze at me. I could feel the dare, but I wasn't up to playing games right now.

"Let me guess. You think I can get more information than you can."

A pale golden brow arched momentarily before her expression returned to normal. My directness may have surprised her.

"It is something to consider." She paused briefly and shifted to face me directly, one hand on her cocked hip. Her black nail polish appeared in stark contrast to the pale pink skirt she was wearing. She was fully made up for her later appearance at Fangtasia; her heavy black eyeliner and blood-red lips a far cry from her off-duty pastel self. "If he is spelled, his thoughts might be our only hope. And you are our only telepath."

"Let's do it. Where is he now?" I was brisk and to the point. Listening to a witch's thoughts was a small price to pay, if it helped at all.

"He's at Fangtasia. We'll have to go there. We cannot risk bringing him here."

I nodded my head before addressing my only concern. "Who will stay with Eric while I am there?"

"Hold on." Eric stepped into the conversation, clearly annoyed. "You are not going anywhere without me."

"Eric." I gave him a soft, pleading look. "You can't go to Fangtasia. You know that. Right now it's only safe for you here."

His eyes narrowed as he gave me a stubborn look. "And it's only safe for you here, too. You don't have to do this."

"It's the best shot we have right now. I think it's worth the small risk. It's you people are looking for. I can get in and out there pretty much unnoticed." I reassured him. A part of me didn't want to leave the cocoon we'd built around ourselves the past few days either, but I knew I'd be safe.

"She'll be guarded well the entire time. I will not leave her side and Thalia will be there, as well." Pam spoke up. "We'll wait until the bar closes before she comes anywhere near. I would imagine it won't take long, if she is able to read his thoughts about Hallow. I promise to return her unharmed, master."

Eric had once told me Pam only referred to him as master if she was truly being deferential, or if she was being a sarcastic shrew. There was no sarcasm in her voice.

"I don't like it." He shoved his hand into his hair and sighed, both very human gestures for a vampire. "I'd feel better if I were there. If you are set on doing this, I won't stop you. I will ask one thing of you, however."

"What is that?" I asked, relived he had capitulated without much fuss.

"Keep the bond open while you are away from me."

I smiled at him before replying. "I promise. I won't close it no matter what." He smiled back at me. Genuine relief shone in his eyes.

I turned back to Pam. "To get back to my question, who'll be with Eric while I'm gone? I'm not leaving him alone." It was ludicrous to think I was protecting him, of course, but I still wouldn't leave him alone.

"Godric is due back sometime around 1:00. He will come straight here. We won't be picking you up until after 2:00."

Godric. Well, it's probably for the best. Eric wanted to talk to him and this gives them some private time. And I trusted Godric.

"Has he found anything in New Orleans?" I asked.

Pam shook her head. "I don't know. I'm sure he will fill you in when he gets here." She turned to Eric and switched to Swedish. "He's a bit roughed up. Do you think she will be able to handle it?"

"Don't worry about me, Pam. I can handle anything." I gave her a sly grin as she stared at me in utter amazement.

"When did you learn Swedish?" she finally asked, her eyes still wide.

"Oh, when I was about eleven or so." I smirked, amusement in my eyes. "Eric taught me. I speak some Old Norse, too, so be careful with that one, too."

"Eric taught you? When you were eleven?" Her eyes flicked back and forth between us. "One of these days one of you is going to have to explain this whole dream thing. What else has he taught you?"

"Too much to get into now, but I promise I will tell you more another time. For now, the important things are a couple of languages, some self-defence skills and weapons." I smiled at her. She was amusing when caught off-guard.

"You can select some weapons suitable for Sookie, Pam. Bring them with you when you return tonight." Eric requested.

The smirk disappeared from my face. Weapons meant training and practicing again. I fervently prayed I could recall the skills he'd so painstakingly bestowed upon me in my dreams.

"I always did better with small weapons," I offered, resigned to my upcoming fate.

"We are pretty much the same size," Pam gave me a once over. "I'll bring a couple of my favorites."

Pam took her leave not long after, leaving Eric and I alone again. He turned to look at me, a grave expression on his face. He reached for my hand and I met him halfway.

"You know how much I appreciate how much you've helped me, don't you? I would literally still be lost if it weren't for you." I looked up to meet his eyes. They were filled with an emotion I couldn't place. I resisted the urge to peek at our blood tie.

"I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done for me," I replied gently. "You literally saved my life, Eric."

He waved his free hand in the air. "Regardless. I want to be sure you understand you don't need to do this for me. You have done enough."

"Eric, there's no reason to worry about me. There's no danger in what I will be doing, and Pam will be with me the entire time."

"That doesn't reassure me," he muttered, glancing away.

"What doesn't? The fact that there's no danger, or that Pam will be looking after me?" I quizzed him. His wariness towards Pam and Godric was upsetting.

"Both." One word was all he offered. I let him stew in his thoughts for a moment before giving his hand a gentle squeeze. His eyes snapped immediately to mine. To my surprise, he lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss there.

"Everything will be okay, Eric." I stared solemnly into his eyes. "I understand how hard this must be for you, but I promise you Pam is someone you can trust. You told me before I could trust her with my life."

"I know." Eric sighed. It was becoming more of a habit for him since he lost himself in the witches spell. "I know I can trust her. We have a strong bond and I can tell she is being truthful with me about everything."

"Then what is it?" I asked softly. My free hand somehow made its way to the broad planes of his chest, resting just under his defined pectorals. "Why do you worry so much?"

His free hand came to rest against mine. Both of my hands were now captured by his, but I didn't mind in the least. I felt protected, not confined.

"I don't want you harmed. If anything should happen – " he shook his head, blonde locks falling haphazardly against his ears. "I would never be able to forgive myself, Sookie."

I could only look at him, swallowing hard against the lump forming in my throat. The intensity in his troubled eyes was overwhelming. I took a moment to get a grip on my own emotions and replied very carefully.

"I can't take your fears away, Eric. I can promise you I will be fine. Nothing will happen to me with Pam and Thalia looking out for me." I pulled my hand free of his and reached up to stroke softly against his cheek. The faint hint of stubble felt familiar under my fingers. "I need to do this. I need to do this for you, but also for me and for us. If I can learn anything helpful at all, it's worth whatever miniscule risk there is to me."

He turned his face into my hand and his lips touched off the inside of my palm before I pulled away. The brief contact left a lingering ache in its wake.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you," he admitted hoarsely. "You are the best part of me."

His eyes held mine and proverbial sparks flew between us. My throat tightened and my tongue flickered out to wet my suddenly dry lips. The hand still pressed against his chest felt the growl building inside him before my ears registered the deliciously dangerous sound.

I moaned in response and that was enough for Eric. His head lowered until the space between us was infinitesimal; his pause lingered only a second, but it was enough time for me to object, to pull away, to do something to stop this.

I did nothing.

My eyes drifted closed and my lips parted as I waited for his. Eric closed the distance and claimed my lips ravenously, his lips, teeth and tongue exploring and staking claim. I moaned into his mouth, delirious under his passionate assault.

Reality crumbled and faded into dust as his tongue explored past my lips, dipping and swirling into my mouth. His hand came up to cup my cheek, long fingers stroking the side of my neck as his thumb lazily stroked along my chin. His right hand tangled in my hair, slanting my head back to give him better access to my mouth.

He broke away occasionally to press tender kisses along my cheekbones, across my eyelids, down my hairline to the sensitive hollow behind my ear. I would gasp enough air into my lungs to last me though the next onslaught and he would be back, plundering the depths of my very soul with his masterful possession.

He had not forgotten how to kiss.

The rush of air around us was the only real indication of how fast he'd repositioned us. Eric's enormous frame was splayed out on the sofa, one leg kicked up over the back of the cushions. I was stretched out across his broad chest, my legs resting between his powerful thighs.

He was again giving me control of the situation. As I gazed down at him through heavy lids, I couldn't help but think of how like Eric he was being. He'd given me every opportunity to back out of our first sexual encounter, and he was doing the same now.

I slowly closed the distance between us this time, my eyes locked on his until my mouth found his. They fluttered closed as I took control, pressing my lips to his. My tongue came out to trace the firm contours of his lips, taking the time to explore his Cupid's bow upper lip. He groaned against my mouth and one arm came around to rest against my back, but he allowed me to maintain control of the pace.

His lips opened when I pressed and I allowed my tongue to sweep into his mouth, savoring his unique taste and feel. I kissed him for ages, my mouth lazily exploring his, stroking my tongue along areas I knew he liked. I could feel his appreciation for my efforts in every single muscle in his body as he quivered under my touch.

I revelled in the feeling and set out to discover more ways to make him respond like that.

I continued as he had done to me, pausing in my full on assault every once in a while to breathe, peppering kisses along his strong jaw line as I caught my breath. My lips and tongue explored the muscular column of his throat, dipping and weaving along every quivering tendon. His hands were sliding along bare flesh under my T-shirt as he stroked my back.

I sat up slowly, drawing mixed groans of disappointment from Eric as my lips left his flesh; groans of a different kind followed as my heated core settled over his straining flesh. I waited until his eyes met mine and gripped the hem of my T-shirt. His eyes widened a fraction and the heat blazing from them increased as I slowly drew the garment up my body. I tossed it to the side and sat astride him in my pale blue lacy bra.

He didn't say a word. He lay still for a minute, his eyes ever leaving mine. I shivered under his intense scrutiny, my already stiff nipples hardening further. Eric sat up with a small groan, wrapping his arms around me. He held me tight, his face pressed against the swell of my breasts.

Eventually I felt his fingers nimbly unhooking the tiny clasps of my bra. I felt it loosen, but his fingers held it closed. I opened my eyes to find his on me again, this time with a question in the depths. I gave him a brief nod and he let go, allowing the lacy scrap of fabric to fall free. He coaxed it off my arms and dropped it to the floor beside us before turning his attention to my breasts.

"You are glorious," he groaned. His hands moved to cup my breasts tenderly, his thumbs brushing against my aching nipples. "Perfect. You are perfection."

He worshiped my breasts with precision, his lips and tongue paying homage to the tightened peaks as his hands familiarized themselves with the weight and contours of the full globes. His fingers stroked the silken skin with pleasure as his lips repeatedly tasted each nipple, as if to decide which he preferred.

It wasn't long before we were both craving more than a topless, dry-humping teenage make-out session on the couch. Moving with the grace and elegance only a vampire could pull off; Eric stood with me still attached to his hips and gave me another chance to shut this down.

"Your place or mine?" He grinned, twirling us around. "Or we could stay here. Watch a movie or something."

"Your place," I answered. He had us halfway there in moments. "We've never done this at your place before." I thought out loud. It had always been my place, Fangtasia or the hotel in New Orleans.

"I've never made love to you in my own bed?" Eric asked with a measure of wonder in his voice. We were through the complicated set of alarm systems he'd operated with ease. He strode with confidence through the darkness until we reached the edge of the bed. He turned a small bedside lamp on, mostly for my comfort, I thought.

"Nope." I stretched upwards and laid a kiss on his lips. "It was usually my place."

"Usually?" He asked as hands cupped my ass. "Where else did we make love?"

"We stayed at your place in New Orleans, but we were in my bed, not yours."

"Is that all?" His strong fingers were kneading the round flesh of my behind.

"Your office at Fangtasia, too. Although I suppose we might have to count that one multiple times. " I giggled as he roared and tossed me onto the bed. He crawled across the massive bed until he had me caged.

"Explain," he demanded with a grin.

"Not till you take off your shirt," I bargained. It was gone before the words had left the air. My hands itched to rub the deeply carved terrain. "You re-did your office for me. It was very sweet of you, and I still feel terrible for ruining your desk."

"Why would I re-do an office for you? And how did you ruin a desk?" He questioned, his lips winding a trail up my throat. Skillful fingers tweaked a throbbing nipple. I had to think hard to find a coherent response.

"You didn't want any reminder of other women you'd had in there before me. And I think we could say that we ruined your desk, not just me. You were the one who wanted me to leave my heels on," I gasped out the end part as his head lowered to take my aching nipple between his lips.

"I can't wait to see it," Eric muttered against my skin. His hands dipped lower, caressing my ribcage and waist until he reached the edge of my pants. His fingers stilled and I took the initiative and lifted my hips, shimmying out of my pants. Thank God for easy off yoga pants.

"Ask Pam," I moaned as his fingers dipped lower, tracing a slow line around the scalloped lace edge of my pale blue panties. "She probably has pictures on her phone."

Eric laughed against my belly, the rumble sending delicious waves through my tightened muscles. All thought of Pam, pictures and ruined desks scattered from my brain as Eric continued to kiss further down my belly until he was kissing the lacy panties. I moaned and hooked my fingers under the waistband, urging them off my hips. Eric took over and the offending piece of fabric disappeared.

My legs instinctively spread for him, creating a cradle for him to lie in. He settled his massive shoulders between my spread thighs and gazed at my exposed sex. I should have felt embarrassed by his up-close inspection of my glistening flesh, but I rejoiced in the raw, naked look of need and want in his face instead. My pelvis tilted forward, desperate for his touch.

He lowered his face into me, his eyes locked on mine. "Watch me," he ordered softly as his fingers spread me even further. His tongue laved my overheated flesh and I nearly exploded under his ministrations. I struggled to maintain eye contact; my eyes rolled into my skull with every pass of his tongue against my swollen sex.

"So sweet, Sookie," he murmured as he tasted me, his tongue delving deeper and deeper in search of more. "Come for me, lover. I want more."

His fingers replaced his tongue, two fingers sliding into me with ease. They pressed forward relentlessly, sliding against my walls as his tongue suckled my slick flesh. I came screaming his name as he applied the right pressure in all the right spots at the same time. He held me tight as my body convulsed and shook with immense pleasure.

His hard body shifted until my quivering thighs cradled him securely. His impressive length nudged my sensitive flesh; I reached an unsteady hand between us and guided him into position. He groaned when my hand wrapped around his steely length, but resisted my efforts to hurry the process along. He stayed poised for entry, but dipped his head forward and captured my lips for one more scorching kiss.

"Are you sure, Sookie?" His husky voice sent chills racing down my spine, one after another.

"Yes," I panted. "I want you, Eric."

"Then I'm yours," he grunted back, swiveling his hips and driving forward. One swift motion had him seated fully inside me. I moaned and cried out as he started to move.

"This is right," he proclaimed as he thrust inside me. "This is best."

I nodded in agreement, as much as I was able to. This was right. This was best.

A delightful, languorous pleasure built inside me with every forceful plunge he made. The tension built, swirling and eddying, taking me higher and higher until I was flying through the atmosphere. I came crashing back to earth with a cry as he skilfully pushed me over the edge for the second time.

Eric continued to thrust gently through my orgasm, but as my breathing returned to normal and my eyes rolled back out of my head, he picked up the pace again, shifting my position so he was sliding impossibly deeper. I cried out in pleasure as the thick head rubbed against my spot with every pass. It wasn't long before I was seeing stars again, only this time Eric succumbed to his moment right along with me.

He slumped forward, careful to keep most of his weight from laying on me.

"I've never seen anything like it," he said with wonder. I cracked open an exhausted eye to see the golden aura shielding us and pulsing like crazy.

"Oh, yeah." I yawned. "I guess I should have mentioned this before, huh?"

"This is what happens every time we make love?" he asked. I thought it was cute he always said 'make love'.

"Yes. We don't know why, but it's probably a fairy thing."

"It's beautiful. You are beautiful." He placed a kiss on the tip of my nose.

"It's gorgeous," I agreed easily, skipping his compliment. I felt beautiful with him looking at me like he was. It was enough for me.

"Nobody sees this but us? I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing," he shook his head. "Although, I might have heard about it a hundred times, for all I know."

"Hey, now, none of that," I scolded mildly. "You told me before you had no idea about what it meant. You will know that for yourself soon."

"You're right," he smiled at me as he pulled himself from my body. I instinctively tightened around him, trying to hold him within me for as long as I could. I may have pouted a little as he did, but a sweet kiss soothed my feelings.

He sprawled onto his back, pulling me in to nestle along his side. My head rested on his chest and my fingers couldn't resist the one thing they always gravitated to; the fine blonde hairs on his chest had always been a source of pleasure and comfort for me.

I burrowed against him as I had a few times in my life, and many times in my dreams. I basked in the sweet perfection of the moment.

Our problems were far from solved, but still, I felt like celebrating.

We lay together quietly, contentedly, each reluctant to burst the bubble of contentment and serenity we existed within. There would be enough strife and discontent beyond the confines of our cocoon.

Lost in our world of tender caresses and soft kisses, I was blindsided when the bubble popped.

"Godric is here."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sorry to leave it there, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same! Please let me know what you thought.<strong>_

_**Thanks for reading.**_


	44. Interrogations

**_As always, thank you all so much for the love you're showing this story. I wouldn't still be writing if it weren't for all you lovely people!_**

**_I own nothing._**

* * *

><p>"Something happened with you and Eric."<p>

We were barely out of the driveway when Pam spoke. It wasn't a question, per se, and I chose not to offer an answer.

"I know you fucked, sugarplum," Pam smirked at me after a minute of silence, one eyebrow cocked. "I don't need you to confirm it."

"Then why bring it up?" I muttered belligerently.

"Because you are more fun to toy with than Eric at the moment." She laughed - quite merrily, I might add - at the death glare I was shooting her way.

"Be serious," I snapped at her.

"Serious you want, serious you will get, my friend. Does this mean all is forgiven, or is it nothing more than a hormonal itch you got scratched?" she asked bluntly.

"Neither," I replied. "It's more complicated than that."

"You can't play house with this Eric and forget the consequences when the real Eric comes back, dragging all your problems with him." Her stern reminder did its job. I already knew what we did crossed some very precarious lines.

"I know we still have a lot to work out, but I think we have a chance at making it work, Pam." I wondered if this were true even as I said it, but I had hope. It would have to be enough for now. "I know we've complicated things, but it's not like we haven't talked, either."

"Talking to a man without memories is easy, I would think," Pam responded dryly. "And complicated may be an understatement. Are you sure you are ready?"

"Yes, I am." I was sure in my reply. "I'm ready to hear whatever he has to say. I can't truly make a decision until I know what he's been hiding, but I am ready to hear it."

"I know what it is." Pam gave me a sideways look. "I know the great secret."

"I thought you might." It made sense to me. I doubted there was a whole lot about Eric that Pam didn't know. She was an inquisitive sort and I knew Eric trusted her completely. "I don't expect you to tell me."

She laughed. "I would never betray Eric's confidence like that. However, based on my knowledge, there are a couple of things I would like to say about it."

I gave her a wary look but eventually nodded.

"I honestly believe it is nothing that need keep you apart, if you really want to be together. That said, I must ask you to keep an open mind when he tells you. There are parts that will be difficult to hear and parts which will be difficult to understand. I don't want you to get too caught up on the wrong details. I need you to think about not reacting until you've really thought about all you learn. You must trust that everything can be okay, if you want it to be."

I sat back in the cool leather seat and thought about her words. I assumed there would be difficult parts to deal with, but as I pondered her words, I wondered just how weird things were going to get before they were done. If Pam thought it strange enough to feel the need to warn me to not overreact, it must be either bizarre or extraordinary.

Perhaps it would be both. Who knew?

"He is going to talk to Godric about it tonight." I broke the silence after about three miles of thought. "Godric offered to tell him the whole story, which I think he should know. He wants to tell me, though, and I'm not sure how I feel about hearing about it from this Eric. I kind of feel sneaky, like I'm somehow going behind his back. Real Eric wasn't ready to tell me, and I know it."

"He feared your reaction, Sookie. He was nervous you would reject him, if you ask me." Pam stated coolly. "You have had the most unusual effect on him."

"What do you mean?" Curiosity got to me.

"Eric's behaviors have been out of character ever since the night he found you. There has been nothing ordinary about his reactions to you. You do realize this?" she asked. I found it easier to rein in my foul mood when I heard the genuine concern in her voice.

"I only know what I've been told." As I thought about it, I realized I had never really given too much thought to what Eric was like before we met. Was he that different since we met? "I can't know how much he's changed since I didn't know him before."

Pam tapped the wheel with her manicured fingernails. "You really don't know," she replied thoughtfully. "No more should you, I suppose. You can only know what you have experienced."

"I only know what I know," I agreed, "and that's not much. Why don't you just tell me what you mean?"

She stared at the road ahead of us for long moments. I could almost see the thoughts percolating in her brain and I was once again thankful for silent vampire brains. An overhead road sign indicated we were still ten miles from our exit.

"I believe he is in love with you."

It wasn't what I was expecting. I instinctively straightened my spine and looked at her. The goofy expression on my face couldn't be helped.

"You heard him that night as clearly as I, Pam. He doesn't love me. He doesn't even think he can love." It still stung, even if I thought I might be able to live with it.

"I heard many things that evening," she agreed in a pleasant tone. "Some of those things were true. Some were complete bullshit. And that one was a stinker, plain and simple."

"A stinker, Pam?" I laughed at her vernacular. "Why do you think he loves me?"

"Everything about him suggests he loves you, Sookie! He's been a besotted fool ever since that very first night. Every decision he has made since then has been made with you in mind." She gave me a sideways glance. "From the moment he gave you his blood, he was changed. All he thought about was you."

"I didn't even see him again for weeks, Pam!" I protested. "And even then it was because I went to him."

"He was avoiding you out of a misplaced notion you would be better off without involvement with vampires. Not because he wasn't interested." Her tone was flat. "When you came into his life fully, all hell broke loose. Before you know it, he's consorting with fairies and committing near treason with his Queen. And then to blood bond himself to a human, without even fully understanding the ramifications of his actions?" Pam shook her head. "The Eric I knew wold never have taken those kinds of risks for a human. He would never have shared his blood without educating himself on the consequences."

"I can see how his behavior might be construed as rash and impulsive, but none of it screams love," I countered.

"If you take all of that and put it together with the biggest sign of them all, you will see my point," she replied, typically obtuse.

"And what is your biggest point?" I asked when she didn't follow up. Conversations with Pam tended to start out aggravating, or eventually get there. This one was both.

"He was in a _relationship_, Sookie." She pronounced the word as if it were foreign to her. "A _monogamous_ relationship."

"Plenty of people in relationships don't love each other, Pam." I rapped my knuckles on the side of my head. "Trust me on that."

"You're talking about human relationships. We both know humans enter relationships for reasons other than love ninety percent of the time." She slowed the car to merge into the exit lane. "I'm talking about a thousand-year old Viking warrior becoming a human girl's boyfriend. I'm sure even you can appreciate the difference."

I tried to see it from her perspective. I knew he had been rather indiscriminate in his conquests before we met, but I didn't realize his becoming monogamous was such a big deal.

"I take it he's never done that before? Been faithful, I mean?" I probed. "And you are forgetting I'm not just human. I'm part fairy, and a royal one at that. And don't call him my boyfriend. That sounds wrong."

"Even more remarkable. Vampires don't date fairies, Sookie. We eat them." She said grimly as she maneuvered the car through downtown Shreveport traffic. "Monogamy is not a concept vampires embrace, my human friend. Before you, I would have placed large sums of money on the fact there wasn't a single female in existence who could hold Eric's interest for more than a couple of evenings, max."

"He only agreed on fidelity because it was a non-negotiable condition." Even as the words left my mouth, I knew I was being unfair. I could recall Eric's words the night we first made love; 'There hasn't been another since we met.' He was faithful before we were even having sex.

"Nonsense. He agreed because he wants you. He hasn't been with anyone but you since you met that I know of. Besotted, just like I said." She gave me another inscrutable look. "He kisses you, Sookie. Doesn't that mean anything?'

"What do you mean?" I was genuinely puzzled now. A small frown creased my forehead.

Pam met my eyes for a moment and shook her head at me. "Never mind, Sookie. There's not enough time to explain everything I mean."

I could see the bar's red neon signage in the distance and knew she was right. There never seemed to enough time, I mused as we drew closer to our destination.

We pulled into the deserted parking lot of Fangtasia and my stomach did flip flops. It was a relief to bring this awkward conversation with Pam to an end, but I was about to face another trial altogether.

Being a telepath, I learned some key truths early on. People don't like to acknowledge things they don't understand. It scares them on a fundamental level. It's why the otherwise kind and good folks of Bon Temps don't see anything wrong with calling an innocent child crazy. They all knew there was something they couldn't understand about me and they chose to allay their fears with mockery. I didn't judge them too harshly. My feelings had been hurt too many times to count, but I knew what was in their heads.

But even those who refused to acknowledge my differences sometimes had no problem asking me to use them. Arlene was a prime example. I could recite her exact thoughts for an hour straight and she would smile nervously and call it all coincidence. But when she thought her latest man might be up to no good? She had no problem asking me to 'you know, just listen in that special way you do, Sookie'.

Up until tonight, I had never been part of an actual interrogation, though. I was about to enter Fangtasia and face one of the people responsible for cursing Eric in such a horrible, personal way. My stomach churned with an unsettling mixture of nerves and anticipation. I'd never willingly delved into the mind of anyone sick and devious enough to do such a thing.

"Are you ready?" Pam broke into my dark thoughts.

I was nowhere near ready, but I nodded and picked up my purse. Out of habit, I lowered my shields and scanned the area. There were three voids in a rough triangle around the building and another inside. I told Pam what I had found.

"They are ours. They're going to watch the building until dawn."

We got out of the car in silence, with Pam vamping around the car to literally be by my side as we walked quickly to the back door of the bar. It opened just before we reached it and Pam ushered me inside to face a scowling Thalia.

"Mistress," she muttered, looking away as she spoke. She could have been speaking to either of us, but I had an uncomfortable suspicion it was me. The diminutive vampire was one of the oldest in existence, according to Eric and a formidable warrior. The idea of her addressing me with any form of respect was terrifying me.

Pam brushed past me and fired a couple of rapid questions at Thalia in a language I did not understand. Thalia gave brusque, one word replies to the queries and disappeared into the bar before I could blink. Pam and I followed at a more sedate pace, discussing what we needed and wanted to learn from Hallow's brother. We were soon descending the familiar stairs to Fangtasia's dark and gloomy basement. I was close on Pam's heels as she led me to the same cell Bill Compton had been confined in all those weeks ago.

Thalia pulled the overhead chain and light flooded the small area. I took one step closer and the overwhelming stench hit me. It wasn't that he was dirty, from what I could see he looked like he'd been showered recently, no doubt in time for my visit. The stink coming from the room was the acrid, sharp reek of fear.

I wanted to gag.

I took a moment to gather myself and walked into the room. I took shallow breaths through my mouth and tried not to think about it.

Mark Stonebrook sat in the lone chair in the room, his ankles and wrists chained securely and anchored to the concrete floor. Further restraints wrapped around his chest, binding his upper arms close to his ribcage. A gag wrapped around his mouth and tied off somewhere behind his head. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain T-shirt. His head lifted as I came into the cell and his eyes peered blearily at me.

He was the kind of guy no one was likely to look at twice, completely run-of-the-mill in every way. Average height and build, his dark hair and pale skin gave him a washed out, bland appearance. I knew from meeting the New Orleans coven that witches came in all shapes and sizes, but this guy really looked unremarkable in every sense.

"Anything?" Pam asked. I shook my head. I couldn't hear anything from him, which was strange. Vampires had the only truly silent minds I'd ever encountered.

I walked up beside him and laid my hand on his shoulder, avoiding his eyes as I did so, and immediately felt his brain come in to focus. I concentrated hard and realized something immediately.

"He's a Were," I said with surprise.

"No, he's not." Pam came up beside me and took an experimental sniff. "He doesn't smell of Were."

"He's like every one I've met so far." The red, snarly pattern was very familiar. I would place bets on him having at least some two-natured blood in him.

"And yet he doesn't smell like any I've ever met." Pam shrugged, but I closed my eyes and turned my attention inward, straining to make coherent sense out of the jumbled mess of thoughts and images I was receiving. Were brains operate far differently than human ones do.

"He's Were, alright," I announced, opening my eyes. His thoughts confirmed my suspicions. His scent might've been blocked but he was Were.

"That makes it interesting. We will have to contact Herveaux." Pam gave our prisoner a thorough once-over, as if seeing him for the first time.

"Why would Alcide care about this guy?" I was puzzled.

"Not Alcide, but his father. Jackson Herveaux is the Shreveport Packmaster." Pam clarified. "He's the head of the werewolves here."

"I didn't know," I wasn't surprised the wolves were organized, not after learning so much about vampires. I was surprised Alcide's father was the wolf boss.

"Now you do," Pam said distractedly. She pulled a small phone from her pocket and her fingers flew over the keys. I was a little jealous of her dexterity. Even with auto-correct helping along the way, it still took me far longer than that to send the simplest of text messages.

The phone went back into her pocket and she regarded the prisoner with increased suspicion. He stared back at her with fear and a touch of defiance in his eyes. She raised her eyes and looked at me questioningly. I nodded my head and she began.

"What have you done with Eric Northman?"

Pam began with an easy question. We knew from the ectoplasmic reconstruction Octavia's coven had performed that Eric just simply vanished from the room. There were three people present: Eric, Hallow – whose real name turns out to be Marnie Stonebrook – and Mark. According to Pam's briefing, it appeared as if Mark hadn't spoken much at all during the meeting, whereas his sister had been the opposite. The reconstruction had shown she had spoken almost exclusively throughout the meeting. Pam assumed from their stances that Hallow had been presenting some type of an offer. We couldn't know for sure, since the reconstruction only allowed them to observe what had happened.

What was said was a mystery, but it started a chain reaction that led to our current predicament. Eric's reaction to the supposed proposal was what Pam found interesting. She said a look of disgust crossed his face before he started to laugh. Hallow looked angry as she said one more thing and Eric gave a short reply and laughed even harder. Mark set the chain reaction off when he foolishly jumped at Eric and tried to attack him with nothing more than his bare hands.

What should have been a suicide mission turned strange the moment Eric raised a hand to defeat Mark's clumsy attack. To the complete surprise of Pam and the witches, as Eric grabbed Mark by the throat, he simply disappeared, vanished into thin air. With Eric gone from the scene, the reconstruction had started to fade, but not before they witnessed Hallow berate her brother with an angry expression on her plain face. Before the scene completely faded, the witches had exited the office, their destination still unknown.

As I concentrated on his jumbled thoughts, the image of Hallow's face rose repeatedly. His thoughts were too fast and incoherent to follow completely, but her face and eyes were filled with rage in every image. What was clear was that he, and presumably Hallow, didn't know were Eric was. That was a plus.

I nodded at Pam and she continued. "What does your sister want with Eric Northman?"

I closed my eyes tighter and grimaced against the obscene images he was projecting of my vampire bending his sister over and doing unspeakable things to her. I was about to signal Pam to move on when another, equally disturbing image flashed in his brain. I gripped his shoulder tighter as I registered the tenor of his thoughts.

I let go of the captive witch and walked from the room without a word. Pam silently followed. I put a finger over my lips and walked up the stairs and out into the club.

"Can he hear us from here?" Knowing he was Were made me suspicious.

"I wouldn't think so. The basement is sound-proofed." I didn't stop to wonder why it needed to be, but told her what I learned in a rush.

"She wants to have sex with him, but she is mainly looking for his blood."

I watched as Pam's eyebrows rose in a move eerily reminiscent of Eric.

"She's a V addict?" It was a problem vampires faced since coming out of the coffin. Once humans learned what vampire blood could do, they were hooked. I was always curious how humans ever found out, though. Vampires didn't go around offering their blood, and never – with the exception of me – without glamouring them into not speaking about it.

"I don't think so," I shook my head. "I didn't get that feel from his thoughts. I think it's more like she thinks she will be more powerful if she has it. He doesn't think the same way humans do," I explained. "Everything is a jumbled mess, images and thoughts all mixed together like a puzzle. You have to put it together yourself."

"I don't get it. Why curse him so he will disappear if it's blood she's after?" Pam wondered aloud. "If she's powerful enough to make him disappear, stripped of everything he knows, why not simply put him in stasis and steal his blood?"

"I don't know, but I kind of still feel like there's someone else involved. He thought the word reward a few times when he was thinking about Hallow drinking Eric's blood." I shuddered as I thought of it. The very idea enraged me, making me realize I considered his blood to be mine. I shoved the thought to the side and suggested we go back downstairs and finish up.

He was sitting a little straighter when we returned this time, but his eyes were wide and trained directly on Thalia. Nobody could have mistaken the look of terror in his eyes. I returned to my place and Pam continued as soon as my hand was in contact with the were-witch.

"Where is your sister, Mark? Tell me where Hallow is right now." Again the tangled mess of images assaulted my brain and I reeled against the cold feeling thoughts of his sister evoked. There was no love lost between the two, that much was clear, but yet he continued to do her bidding.

I shook my head and she asked again. "Tell us where Hallow is, Mark. Where is she hiding?"

A stark image of a small, one storey bungalow sprang into his mind, before being replaced with thoughts of a small, cozy living room; it's old-fashioned chintz sofa and lace doilies reminding me of Mrs. Fortenberry's front parlour, as she called it. A briefly comprehensible memory of Hallow sitting on that sofa ran through his mind; she was looking at him with utter contempt on her twisted features.

"Why do you get to stay hidden away here while I have to go out and face it all myself?" he had asked her.

"You did this to yourself, Mark. You have to fix it," she replied haughtily. "Get the rest of the coven together and bring everyone here. We can do it from here."

The image snapped and his train of thought was gone. He knew, but wasn't thinking about it. I knew he needed prodding and I was the right one for the job.

"Why are you taking all the heat for her?" I asked, playing on his apparent dislike. "She gets to stay out of it while you rot away here?"

His thoughts became even more muddled and chaotic for a few moments and I wondered if it had backfired on me. But it wasn't long before his they returned to the small bungalow and it's faded, out-of-date interior. In his mind's eye, a small, slightly built child played in the front yard, a few feet from a brown, typically 70's panelled station wagon.

It started to click for me. The background report on the Stonebrook siblings had stated their parents were both deceased. They had been raised in a suburb outside of Shreveport.

"I know it can be hard with siblings, especially when your parents are gone," I sympathized in a conversational tone. "My brother and I fought like crazy sometimes. Still do, sometimes. He's not talking to me much now because our Gran left me her house. It was only fair, though, since he got our folk's house, don't you think?"

It was so small as to be almost unnoticeable, but my vampire companions all noticed the slight nod he gave, too. I knew I was on the right track.

"I told him it was foolish for him to be so mad, because he'd always be welcome there. I told him all he had to do was get in his truck and drive on over to my place. It's only down the road. He could visit anytime," I rambled on, trying to get his thoughts to stay on track. He was following my suggestions in his head, picturing himself driving down the street. I grinned as he mentally pictures himself pulling into same driveway that old station wagon had been.

I nodded at Pam again and flashed her a thumb's up for good measure. I felt confident in the idea Hallow was hiding in their childhood home and I was pretty darned sure finding that address would be simple for a vampire with Pam's skills.

"Who are you and Hallow working for?" I asked the question quickly, trying to catch him off-guard. I was hoping to see a face, hear a name, anything, but instead I got another flash of Hallow showing her displeasure, screaming at her brother and partner in crime.

"Don't you get it, you idiot! He will kill you, slowly and painfully, but he will kill me too." The thought was gone almost as fast as it came. The remaining disjointed thoughts confirmed his ignorance. They had been hired, and by someone Hallow feared greatly, but Mark was kept out of the loop.

We continued for another thirty minutes, but didn't find anything else I thought was really important. We had the best lead yet on Hallow's whereabouts. We had some confirmation there was an as yet unknown third party involved. It was more than we had hoped for.

I yawned as I buckled myself into Pam's car for the ride home. I was exhausted. I'd never used my telepathy so deliberately before and the effort took far more from me than I was willing to think about. I just wanted to go home and curl up with Eric. I frowned as I wondered when I started to think of the safehouse as home.

Pam slid gracefully into the driver's seat and put the keys in the engine, but didn't start the car. Instead, she angled her torso so she was facing me. Her beautiful face was illuminated in sharp relief with the harsh, blue-tinged security lights shining through the windshield.

"Thank you, Sookie." Her quiet voice was brimming with genuine sincerity. "I appreciate what you are doing for him."

I reached out and patted the hand she was resting on the center console. "You are welcome. I want him well and whole again as much as you."

"I know," she acknowledged. We sat silently for a moment, each lost in our thoughts. "Let's get you home so Eric will stop texting me."

I laughed and sat back as she started the car. Once we were on the highway again, I relaxed and felt for Eric's blood. As promised, I had left the bond wide open and I focused hard on our connection and sent comfort and reassurance in waves. A smile creased my face as I felt his emotions pick up and swirl happily through me.

I couldn't wait to get home.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Sookie's first interrogation. Believable? Yes or no?<em>**

**_I'm about to write a fairly important chapter for this story, one which will feature the ultimate demise of one annoying vampire by the name of Bill Compton. Although I have many ways I'd like to see him finally die, I'm curious as to how y'all want him gone. Any suggestions?_**


	45. Fairy Bonds

**_Chapter 45 already. I never would have thought it, but here it is. I truly hope you all are enjoying this story, as long winded as it is._**

_**A big thanks to Weewoman1 for being kind enough to pre-read these chapters for me and point out my typos and silly mistakes. Thank you so much!**_

**_All rights are the property of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. Sadly, I own nothing._**

* * *

><p>Claudine looked at me with something akin to pity in her gaze. We were sitting in the kitchen of Eric's home, sipping on drinks and enjoying the afternoon. Or we were, until she started talking about Fae bonds.<p>

"Somehow, Sookie, when you shared blood with the Viking the first time you also initiated and completed a fairy bond with him. Your spark recognized him as the one you Chose."

I was getting her words, but they weren't computing. I stared at her uncomprehendingly. I was unconscious when I shared blood with Eric the first time. I was unaware of his existence, outside of my dreams, at that point. I didn't even know I had a fairy spark then. How could I have chosen to bond myself to him in the fairy way if I didn't know him or know I had a damned spark?

"But I chose nothing that night, Claudine. I was unconscious for most of it and I thought the bits I was aware of were dreams. I'd never met him and I certainly didn't know I'm a fairy! I didn't choose anything!"

Claudine sighed and looked at me with a faint trace of pity in her eyes. It rankled to see it, but I couldn't blame her. Pitiful was the best way to describe me. Her hand came to rest on top of mine and I instantly felt calmer. It was little wonder fairies were so touchy-feely.

"I'm so sorry, Sookie, I sometimes forget how much you need to learn about our ways. There's so much I need to tell you, and Niall will be able to teach you even more. We need to find time to train, as well, but for now I will tell you about fairy bonds."

Finally! Was I actually going to learn something here? I felt a little bad for my snarky thoughts, but really, I was sick to death of everyone telling me how much I needed to learn, but not one actually teaching me anything.

"In theory, Sookie, every Fae has a perfect mate out there somewhere. It is no more of a guarantee of finding true love than every human faces, however. Just like humans, we tend to eventually give up on our goals of finding the perfect soul mate and instead find someone we can love and respect enough to make a relationship work."

How many times had I heard this thought in folk's heads? Too many to count, surely. Some had become disillusioned after believing they'd married their one true love only to realize how very wrong they were. Others settled because they'd never found love at all. Some folks settled way too early and spent their whole lives wondering if they'd missed their chance for true love.

"But when it does happen, when a Fae finds their equal, their other half, if you will, their sparks react to draw the couple together. At this point, they can bond themselves in a ceremony officially tying their sparks together for eternity. Their life-force blends in a sense, they are Chosen mates. If one should perish or stray, the other would likely live, but it would eventually come to feel as if half of their very soul is missing. Being separated from your Chosen for any length of time, over any amount of distance, would eventually prove difficult for both."

I couldn't keep my mouth closed as she spoke, even though I kept trying to close it. I must have looked like a damned guppy, but I just didn't care. Oh, sweet fuck! What the hell was she telling me? Was she trying to say I had done this without knowing it?

"That wouldn't be possible for me and Eric, then. You must be wrong, Claudine. It can't be. Eric is vampire, not Fae and he doesn't have a spark. And I did not chose him. I was out cold, for cripes sake."

"Niall and I both recognized it, Sookie. Your light is visible in him, we both saw it. Somehow, you Chose him. We don't really understand it, either, but your situation with the vampire is unique. After talking it over, we believe your spark must have reacted to the magic in his blood. The Viking is very old, Sookie, and his maker is far older than him. Eric's bloodline comes from a much purer line than younger vampires. His magic – his life force – is very strong. You can easily track his lineage to the first vampires, with just a couple of generations separating him from the original magic."

That was news. Obviously, he and Godric were both very old, but I'd never considered what that meant.

"Okay, but you said fairies have some kind of ceremony to make it official. Don't you have to consent to this? I didn't, and I'm pretty sure Eric didn't think he was making a life-long commitment when he decided to save my life!"

"He fed you his blood, knowing it would create a tie between you, in essence giving you access to his magic. Your spark must have reacted to his magic, and you Chose him in that moment. I know it doesn't make much sense to you now, but it's the best explanation we can come up with. I don't know how you could have Chose him without even knowing him, but you did. There's no doubt."

I got up to get the pitcher of tea from the fridge, but I was just giving myself time to think for a moment. I understood what she was saying, and remembered Eric explaining about the magic at the core of his being. I still don't think he was giving any kind of consent, and I know I didn't. I had only dreamed of him at that point. I sat back down and refilled Claudine's glass and was topping my own up when it occurred to me.

I did know Eric then. I knew him intimately, thoroughly and completely. I loved him with boundless passion and desire. He was my best friend, he was my only lover, and he was everything to me. I was totally committed to him and would have tied myself to him any which way I could, had I known it was possible. I would have Chosen him ten thousand times over.

Could that really explain how and why I would have unconsciously Chose to bond myself to a vampire I didn't know in reality? Looking back on the night it happened, I know I was dreaming of my vampire when I was out cold, and in my few lucid moments, I was confusing Eric with my dream vampire. Subconsciously, I thought they were one and the same.

I glanced at Claudine and saw she was patiently waiting, but with an expectant look on her face. I hung my head a little and tried to gather my thoughts. I didn't want to have to explain this at all.

"Do fairies ever dream of their mate before they meet?"

"Not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"Because I've dreamed of Eric my entire life. I think that may be why my fairy side Chose him. I did love my dream vampire, but I didn't know Eric yet. Make sense?" I reached for my tea and took a long gulp to avoid looking her in the face again. I didn't have to wait long for her response.

"Why, Sookie Stackhouse! You really do have the most delicious secrets, now don't you?" Claudine's bell-like laughter spilled forth as she rocked back and forth in her chair, enthusiastically rubbing her hands together and smiling like a madwoman. "You must tell me everything! I can't believe you haven't told me before!"

"Short version, okay? I don't have it in me for the long story." I looked at her, hoping she would understand, but doubting she would. "I started dreaming of him when I was just little, but I don't know exactly how old. It seems like he's been there forever. Of course, I didn't know he was Eric Northman, vampire Sheriff of Area Five, Louisiana, a big shot ancient vampire. As a child, I simply knew he was my friend, his head was quiet and he offered me peace and sanctuary."

"As I grew up, he began to teach me things, the biggest being how to shield my mind from the constant onslaught of random thoughts and mental images I was constantly faced with. He worked with me tirelessly until it was second nature to me. I honestly can't fathom what my life may have been without him. He taught me much more than that, though. He taught me how to handle weapons, and even though I have never held a real sword in my hand, I feel confident his lessons would hold through. He taught me to speak his languages when I was about ten, and I can understand what he is saying when he speaks them now."

Claudine was wide-eyed as she listened to my story. I couldn't tell if that was a good thing, or a bad thing, but when she didn't speak, I continued.

"When I was about fifteen or so, I knew I loved him. I had such an enormous crush on what I thought was a figment of my imagination. It was embarrassing, really. Typical teenage girl behavior, I suppose, but even as a dream figure, Eric remained honorable and our friendship remained platonic for many years to come. It wasn't until much later, when I was all grown up, did our dream relationship progress into anything romantic."

"Romantic? Oh, my goodness, Sookie! This may be the most romantic story I've ever heard. I've never, ever heard of anything like it, but it really does sound like you were meant for each other. Why else would you have dreamed of him like that? It's almost like you had a life-long premonition you would meet him. "

Premonitions spoke of the future. My dreams were different, thank God. Telepathy was bad enough.

"The point is, I loved him in my dreams. I loved him with a deep, unconditional passion. He was literally and figuratively the man of my dreams."

"That makes the why much more obvious. You Chose him because you love him. That's how it should be." Claudine was gone all wide-eyed and dreamy.

"No, I loved the vampire I knew in my dreams." I contradicted her. "I did not know Eric Northman. Not to mention I wouldn't know how to do it, anyway."

"Everything about you and Eric is unorthodox, Sookie. I can't explain the how's and why's, and even though I'd like to say you'll find the answers you're looking for, the truth is you probably won't."

"One step forward, two steps back," I muttered under my breath. I never seemed to catch a break and really learn something.

"Better than no steps forward at all," Claudine retorted with good humor.

"You're right, I suppose. I'm just anxious." I gave a half shrug. "I know in my heart there's more to the story than what we've seen yet. I can't just accept all of this doesn't mean anything."

"No, you are right," Claudine mused, her expression thoughtful. "I would have guessed you were showing precognition, but it's not really what you are describing. I will consult some Fae texts, but I have nothing to offer right now. I've never heard of such a thing."

"I've started dreaming of Godric, as well," I offered. "It started after I met Eric."

"Before you met Godric, you mean?" Claudine asked with astonishment coloring her tone. "That's truly unusual, Sookie. In some way or another, it can make sense for you to dream of Eric. He's your Chosen, your soul mate. But to dream of his maker, too?"

"I know. It's weird," I agreed with a heartfelt sigh. "What's really weird is that I really believe he knows why I am dreaming of him. I think he knows exactly what I dream of."

"Really? Why?" She asked curiously.

I shrugged. "There's no good reason. It's a gut feeling. I can sense there's something just beyond my reach, something I have yet to see in my dreams. And I'm sure he knows what it is."

"Have you asked him?"

"Yes, but he's not giving me any real answers. He's never definitively said he doesn't have the answers I'm asking for. All he gives me are riddles and more questions." I shook my head with frustration. "I'm just so lost right now. I'd love to have just one absolute answer."

"You are doing incredibly well, cousin. You've had so much to deal with. I am in awe of the grace you've shown through all of this. I would have given up and tossed myself to the floor, kicking and screaming into hysterics." My fairy godmother/cousin smiled and me and offered up more of that special Fae comfort when she squeezed my hand in comfort.

I smiled at the ridiculous image her words conjured in my brain. I just couldn't imagine the elegant Claudine resorting to such childish antics.

"Thanks for your kind words, but all I'm doing is trying to get through each day at a time. But for the record, I find it hard to believe you wouldn't be the very epitome of grace under pressure in any situation."

Claudine burst into laughter, the sound filling the room with lightness. Her well-manicured fingers waved around in front of her face as if she were trying to dispel the laughter with her touch.

"Oh, gracious, Sookie, you really should have known me when I was younger," she finally gasped out. "I was the biggest pain in the ass ever. Claude will vouch for that fact!"

I smiled and shook my head at her. "Either way, I'm not sure I'm doin' anything special here. I'm just trying to get by."

"And doing a remarkable job of it," Claudine complimented again. "I'm very proud of you, Sookie. I knew you were going to be special, and I was right. Now, how about you show me what you've been practicing."

I beamed with pride. I'd made tremendous progress accessing my fairy side, and I couldn't wait to show her what I'd learned. Now that I figured out the 'on switch' for my spark, I was eager to see if Claudine could give me any further guidance.

"If you thought you were proud of me before…" I sang merrily as I jumped up and grabbed her hand. "Come with me. I've got to show you what I can do now."

I took Claudine by the hand and led her through the patio doors to the sprawling back deck. We walked until I came to the same spot I'd practiced with Eric. There were more boulders there, much, much smaller than the first; these ones just the right size for a demonstration. Standing back a safer distance this time, I closed my eyes and concentrated. I felt my hands move into position before the gathering light shot forth and decimated the rock.

I opened my eyes and looked at my fairy godmother with a smug look. "How was that?"

Claudine looked back at me with surprise in her brilliant green eyes. "That was exceptionally impressive, Sookie. That was quite a bit of power you just threw out there."

"Was it really?" I asked. "It wasn't hard to do."

"I suspect your spark is stronger than any of us know," she spoke thoughtfully, her eyes appraising me and looking through me at the same time. "Let's see what else you can do."

For the next two hours, I worked diligently alongside my fairy tutor. Claudine was patient and understanding; her encouragement was all I needed to stay focused and absorb the information she was offering. I won't say it was easy, but I was showing some skill directing my magic the way I needed to. I promised Claudine I would continue to practice, and I meant every word.

The spark I'd considered so elusive became easy to access and control felt like it was at the tip of my fingers. I could feel myself growing stronger as I practiced. I knew it would take tons of training to get there, but I could feel it and it excited the hell out of me. Apprehension had been my best friend ever since I learned the truth about how and what I was. Exhilaration was pushing the fear and uneasiness away.

I could feel the power I'd doubted; the power they'd all insisted was there. It thrummed in my veins as I called to it. I knew I was only accessing a tiny portion of what might be available; like an iceberg, most of my power lay hidden beneath the surface. I wanted to see what was hiding in the depths.

We chatted about the witches and Eric's situation as we walked back to the house, staying outside on the patio so the house could continue to air out. There was no need for Eric to wake to a fairy scented house. I was going to have to shower before he woke, too, and throw these clothes in the laundry.

"I'm glad I found him, although I can't imagine why he was running down my road. I mean, he disappeared into thin air from his office and then I find him running down Hummingbird Lane. Did he pop up there, or did he run here all the way from Shreveport?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I can't imagine the witches spell sent him here. I think her spell might have backfired, since he ended up somewhere safe."

Claudine nodded her head, shiny locks of nearly black hair sliding over her shoulder. "I wouldn't be surprised if it were the Fae bond interfering with her spell."

"What do you mean?"

"A Fae bond is not something to mess with, Sookie." Claudine leveled a serious look. "It is meant to strengthen and protect the bonded pair. If the bond felt threatened, it may have reached for your magic to help deflect what was happening to him. The spell may have been responsible for him landing on your doorstep, or it could save been the bond directing him home, so to speak. With his memories stripped from him, the bond may have become the force driving him."

I was flabbergasted. I'd certainly never considered that, and I'm sure the vampires hadn't either. They didn't even know there was a Fae bond to consider.

"You mean he might've gone there on purpose?" I suppose it only made sense. What else could he have been doing in Bon Temps?

"It's hard to say what the impetus was, but I think even if the spell hadn't directed him here, he would have found his way to you eventually." Claudine reached over and laid her slim hand on mine. "It's really only a guess, but it's my best guess."

I just didn't know what to say. I couldn't imagine how I was going to explain this to Eric. Oh God, Pam, too, and Godric probably, as well! I closed my eyes and prayed for strength. I resolved to talk to Eric first, and then we could maybe give Pam and his maker a condensed version.

Somehow, with all of his memories swept away, I felt it was important I share this information privately. It was something Eric needed to learn about himself away from the prying, measuring looks of others.

"From what you've told me, it's probably a good enough guess," I agreed after a minute. "Especially if you factor in the vampire bond we've begun."

"Yes, his blood in you may have played a role in directing him to you, although I would imagine if it were blood he were tracking, he would have been heading toward his maker and progeny in Shreveport. That blood should have called stronger."

"True, but the bond we started is unusually strong, according to Eric. He told me my blood can call to him like his maker's." My eyes grew round and my hands clammy as a thought popped into my head. "Do you suppose the fairy bond is affecting the vampire bond? Is that why I have more control over our tie than he does?"

"It's possible," Claudine allowed. "The magic inherent in a Fae bond would always embrace what would make the bond stronger; conversely, of course, it would seek to reject anything it considered harmful. Following that train of thought, one could suppose the Fae bond might attempt to nurture the vampire magic, making it stronger in the process."

"Is there any way of knowing what might happen if we complete the bond?" I asked in a small voice. It was something I still hoped for, even though Eric – the non-amnesia version – and I still had a lot to work on. I was hopeful, though, especially in light of the bombshell Claudine dropped with the whole fairy bond story. We may not have made the vampire bond binding yet, but the fairy bond was permanent, binding us until death.

"Not in any meaningful way." Claudine's beautiful face softened as she looked at me. "With the way everything else is between you, there's just no way of knowing. You are a unique pair, Sookie. I think you are made for one another."

"Yeah, except he was made a thousand years before me," I pointed out.

"Do you really think it matters? Being a vampire was Eric's fate, he was fated to live at least this long. Why is it hard to believe the fates could have known this was the right time for the two of you?" Claudine shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you really think our lives are laid out for us in some grand plan? What about free will?" I asked. I was a little uncomfortable with the idea of everything in life being fated.

"I don't know if I would classify it as a "grand plan" but I do believe in fate. I don't believe it means a preordained future, but rather that there is a path in life which will lead you to ultimate happiness. I believe that is fate." She sighed and gripped my hand tighter. "Free will is about choice. The way I look at it, you are lucky if you make the right choices and they lead you to your fate, your ultimate happiness. Most people make so many wrong choices; they can no longer find the path back to their fate."

"So you think all the choices I have made have led me to Eric?" I asked dubiously. "What about him? In a thousand years, he made every right step, made every right decision to find his fate?"

"It's only my theory, Sookie. No one knows any of this for sure."

My head was beginning to throb slightly and I laid back in the chair, closing my eyes for a moment. I'd been presented with a lot today, and I didn't know if I had room in my head to think about the meaning of fate. I pushed it to the side, not so sure I believed in the idea Eric and I were fated to be. It seemed a little far-fetched, if you asked me, no matter how strange our circumstances.

Claudine left shortly after. We'd made plans to meet again in a few days. It was lovely having her around and I was really excited about what she could teach me. Now that I was getting the hang of it, I was full speed ahead on the 'controlling your spark' issue.

I tidied up the kitchen quickly before stripping off my fairy-scented clothes and taking a long shower. I still had a little time before Eric rose for the evening and I spent most of it absently primping myself. I blew my long hair out until it was silky smooth before plugging in the curling iron. My eyelashes got a touch of mascara but I left the rest of my face clear. I absentmindedly rubbed moisturizer on as my mind wandered over all Claudine had told me.

I finished getting dressed as I formulated a conversation in my head. I wasn't foolish enough to believe it would go as planned, but I felt better just rehearsing what I was going to tell Eric. Once I was ready, I made my way to Eric's daychamber and let myself in quietly. I knew I wouldn't disturb him if he was still resting, but I felt better being quiet. He might be technically dead, but I preferred to think of him as sleeping. Dead was a wrong descriptor for one so full of life and vitality.

As the door shut behind me, I couldn't help but wonder what the evening would bring.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Poor Sookie. Every time she turns around there's more to learn, more to take in. If it were me, I'd be balled up under the bed, crying my eyes out by now. How do you think she's managing?<strong>_


	46. Catching Witches

_**As always, I won nothing.**_

* * *

><p>"You've been bonded this entire time?" Pam looked less than impressed by my great secret.<p>

"Neither of us was aware at the time, but yes, there's been a fairy bond since the first exchange of blood." I think it said a lot for my growing maturity that I was able to speak of Eric and I exchanging blood without blushing. I gave myself a mental high five before wondering if that might be reverting to a more immature level. I shook my head and continued speaking. "It's a permanent bond."

"Eric?" Pam whipped her head around to stare at her maker with an unasked question burning in her eyes. He looked at her silently and gave an awkward shrug.

"I'm nothing short of delighted, but you might know better how the other me might react."

He had been delighted when I told him. There was an almost child-like sense of wonder in his eyes as I relayed the information Claudine provided. When I finished speaking and gave him an opportunity to respond, he simply gathered me in his strong arms and held me quietly for a long moment. The magic between us hummed contentedly.

"I wouldn't presume to speak for you," Pam started, "but I'm not concerned. You were willing to bond permanently through vampire magic. Niall did warn you of this, anyway. The first night he came to you at Fangtasia, he spoke of a Fae bond, saying your combined magics had created a hybrid bond of unknown power. You never spoke of it again, but you were aware of it long before you got involved any further."

"Eric knew we were bonded?" I asked with shock, my eyes finding his immediately. "Any idea why he never told me?"

"No idea at all," Pam said. "Like I said, we never spoke of it again. I suppose he thought your fairy kin would give you the news. Hell, who knows? Maybe it just never came up."

"I suppose," I replied. "I don't guess it matters right now. My only concern now is whether the Fae bond is what interfered with the spell," I admitted. "We know we probably need Hallow to reverse the spell, but what was the result of the spell, and what was the result of the spell backfiring? Do you see what I mean?"

"I think the memory loss was the intended result," Pam answered. "I believe it backfired when Eric came here rather than where she expected him to go."

"I hope you are right." I worried about everything. At this rate, I was going to make headlines in the Bon Temps weekly newsletter – we're too small to have a real paper – when I dropped dead of a heart attack or stroke.

"I usually am right," Pam inclined her head regally. "Now, how about those fairy tricks of yours? How are they coming along?"

As I filled Eric's progeny in on the results of my afternoon spent training with Claudine, I had to wonder why they were all taking this so well. I felt guilty about the bond, like I'd imposed on Eric in some fashion, but he didn't feel the same way. Pam seemed to think he'd be okay with it if his memories were intact, too, which was a relief. From the little I knew of vampires, I would have assumed this was a bigger issue than they were making it into.

Perhaps I was trying to turn a molehill into a mountain, but I still didn't feel right about the fairy bond. At least the way that it happened. I knew the uncomfortable feeling would persist until the curse was broken and Eric was whole again.

"You appear to be making good progress," Pam commented.

"I hope so," I replied happily. My fairy training was the bright spot in my life these days. It seemed to be the one thing I could pour all my excess energy into and achieve results. I no longer felt like I was butting my head against concrete.

"You are a fast learner, lover," Eric smiled down at me, his blue eyes crinkled around the edges. "Your kin must be proud of you."

"Actually, Claudine did say she was proud of me," I admitted with a small smile. She'd been more than effusive with her praise. "She feels I'm catching on quickly, too. I'm going to keep practicing in the day times."

Pam sniffed the air audibly, searching for the last remaining hint of Fae in the air. A frown creased the smooth skin between her fine blonde brows.

"Perhaps you could practice later in the day?" Her expression was hopeful, but my laughter quashed her hope immediately.

"I don't think so! We don't need you hopped on Fae scent," I laughed at her crestfallen face. Eric had seemed almost immune to the lingering aroma earlier, but his control was probably far better than Pam's. He was so much older than her.

"You are no fun at all, Sookie." The centuries old vampire pouted before she turned her attention to Eric. "Godric should be here shortly. He's been scouting the witches with Thalia. He will have information."

Eric looked hopeful and I felt guilty for not having filled him in better last night. Then again, he hadn't done much explaining about his talk with Godric, either. We'd fallen into bed and celebrated being reunited, even though our separation had lasted a scant couple of hours. We hadn't done much talking that could be repeated outside of the bedroom. A tinge of pink crept across my cheeks as I wondered if the bonds between us were the root of our passion.

Would he have wanted me as badly without the Fae bond calling to him? Eric knew about it and he was going to bond with me anyway, but now I wondered if he would have chosen to share blood with me had he known the results. Maybe the fairy tie created the urge for him to bond with me. I wondered how much of what he was feeling from me was real, and how much originated with the bond.

I settled myself deeper into the couch and half-listened as Pam filled Eric in on everything we learned about the witches location and motives. My eyes watched Eric's expressive face as he conversed with his child. Would he see it the way I did, or the way his amnesiac self did?

I was saved from further introspection when the doorbell chimed, signalling the arrival of Eric's maker. Pam hurried to answer the door, leaving Eric and I alone. He locked eyes with me and smiled gently. There were no words between us, but I felt instantly better. I refused to let myself wonder if it were just the bond talking.

"Good evening, Eric. Sookie," Godric greeted us respectfully as he entered the rom. Pam reclaimed her seat silently as we exchanged pleasantries with the newcomer.

"Good evening, Godric," I welcomed him. "Can I offer you a blood?"

The ancient vampire accepted my offer, as I thought he might. He was one of the few vampires I'd seen actually consume the blood substitute. Surprisingly, Godric was mainstreaming. I excused myself and went to the kitchen for his blood and a refill for my water glass.

Godric was explaining the situation at the Stonebrook house when I returned. The information I'd gleaned from Mark Stonebrook's head had proven fruitful. Hallow was in fact hiding out in their childhood home. The vampires had trackers on her since before dawn this morning. She hadn't left the house, but instead received two visitors. The guests were confirmed as two other members of her coven. Both were thought to be participating in her schemes against their will.

The Were trackers had attempted to listen in on the conversation, but the house appeared to be warded. There was no audible sound coming from the structure, even to the sensitive ears of the wolves.

"Isn't that a little strange?" I asked curiously. All three vampires swivelled their heads at the same time, in the exact same manner. Creepy. Eric asked what I'd meant.

"Well, if she's that powerful, why not have the house warded for everything?" I knew from the spells Octavia and Amelia had cast that it was possible to accomplish anything, with the right magic. This house was darned near impenetrable after our witches finished with it. "We shouldn't even be able to see her. She was smart enough to ward for sound, but nothing else?"

"I see your point," Pam spoke slowly. "When you look at it that way, it is peculiar for her to be so sloppy."

"Perhaps her spell backfiring may have been because of her own incompetence," Eric suggested. His voice had gone all deep and gravelly. I tried to prevent myself from being turned on by it because the good girl part of me knew it was rage and vengeance motivating the deliciously husky tone in his voice.

The bad girl part of me clenched and cried out for more.

"It is possible. It is something for us to consider as we move forward." Godric's words brought me back to reality. Hallow had been found. Hopefully Eric's memories would be returned soon. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad. The full-fledged version of Eric still had a lot of explaining to do before he was back in my good books. On the other hand, I had long since made delicious peace with this sweet, innocent version.

"Our witches are up to the effort?" Eric questioned sharply. He reminded me very much of his old self at that moment and I sat up straighter. I resolved to keep my mind in the conversation and not dredging through every gutter I could find.

"Have faith, Eric. Octavia and her coven have never failed us before." Pam's tone was reassuring. It was a side of her I rarely saw before, but was evident in spades now. "If indeed there is any validity to the idea Hallow's magic is not particularly strong, I would say our witches are more than up to the effort."

"It may be the reason she wants vampire blood. If she knows she's not as strong as she pretends to be, she must know she has to prove her worth to her coven from time to time, least they become disillusioned with her. Vampire blood might give her enough power to pull off magic she has no real claim to." Her obsession with blood, Eric's in particular, appeared all-consuming in her brother's thoughts.

"It's impossible to know, but these are all valid points." My eyes were trained on Godric as he spoke. The top edges of his tattoos were visible above the neckline of his shirt. I'd never seen them fully in person, but I knew they would synch up with the vision in my mind. In my dreams, he always appeared shirtless, wearing only a sarong type garment slung around his slim hips. His feet would be bare, I thought, only now realizing I'd never remembered that detail before.

How much else did I not remember about my dreams? Had I forgotten nothing but insignificant details, or was there more information trapped in the depths of my subconscious?

"There is no way she will escape; we have over a dozen different trackers watching her residence. We must proceed with caution and assume the worst case scenario as we make preparations. The witches can be here tomorrow evening and their advice might prove invaluable in the situation. We have the numbers on our side," Godric looked at me as he spoke the last, trying to comfort me. "vampire, Were and witch. We will have her in two nights, three at most."

"Why so long?" Eric's blonde eyebrows drew together. "We know where she is and we have the forces we need. Why wait?"

"We need to be sure the house is not spelled. We cannot risk entering until we know we all won't lose our memories and end up in Bon Temps," Pam explained dryly. I thought it a sensible plan. It also gave me time to be with Eric before everything changed between us again. Once his memories returned, there was no way to tell what the state of our relationship would be.

"Is there anything we can be doing in the meantime?" I questioned. I didn't like feeling useless.

"Not really, although I will send Amelia to you tomorrow, if you would care to see her," Pam replied with a rare, genuine smile. "She's been asking how you're doing."

"Tell her I would love to see her – and the other ladies, too," I added as an afterthought. I had bonded the closest with Amelia, although I thought Octavia might be interesting in knowing I'd managed to locate my magic, after all.

"The others will likely be busy preparing, but I will pass along your welcome. Amelia can check the wards while she's here, too."

"We will meet with everyone late tomorrow night. There will be a plan in place before we rest," Godric spoke authoritatively. At first glance, he may appear like a typical teenager, tattoos and all, but there was no mistaking his power once you knew him. "We will rise in two nights with a plan in place. It won't be much longer, my son."

My breath caught in my throat as I saw the look of love and compassion on Godric's face as he spoke to Eric. The tender moment fled quickly, but I saw in that brief flash the depths of the love Godric held for his vampire son. It was awe-inspiring. I felt such gratitude to the man responsible for making Eric the vampire – and the man – he is today.

"I know." Eric bowed his head as his maker spoke, missing the look of love entirely. Or perhaps, I mused, Godric had only allowed it to show because Eric could not see it. "I appreciate your efforts. I'm simply impatient to get back to normal."

A grimace flickered over my face, but none of the vampires caught it. I was still ambivalent about what it meant for us when he was 'normal' again. I was afraid of the inevitable step back it would entail.

"We know, Eric," Pam spoke quietly. "We are moving as quickly as we can."

"Then I will have to learn more patience," Eric muttered. I looked at him, but his eyes remained trained on the floor. He was still barefoot and his long white feet appeared even larger against the dark flooring.

Sensing things were wrapping up, I excused myself and went to the kitchen to give the vampires privacy. I didn't know if there was anything that needed to be said outside my presence, but I was going to give them space regardless. The kitchen was spotless when Godric appeared beside me. I stifled a gasp and shot an exasperated look at him. It's not like I've been shy telling them all they should give a girl some warning before appearing out of the blue.

"Sorry, Sookie." Godric bowed his head in apology. I accepted, even though I knew he was likely going to do it again.

"What can I do for you, Godric?" I passed the cloth over the immaculate countertop one last time.

"I want to remind you of something." He stood with his hands laced behind his back.

"What is that?" I asked when he didn't continue.

"I want you to remember that it was Eric who tore open his wrist and fed you his blood, a very large quantity of it. The Fae bond may have formed in that moment, but he made that choice of his own free will. He tied you to himself for his own reasons, and the Fae bond had nothing to do with it."

My eyes widened as he spoke. I hadn't expected this conversation, but I felt minutely better after I took a moment to consider his words. There were gaping holes in his logic; Eric himself admitted the blood he gave me that night would wear off, whereas I had irrevocably tied us together forever. But I did appreciate his kind reminder.

"Thank you, Godric," I replied sincerely. On impulse, I reached out and wrapped my arms around his slight frame. He stood stiffly as I hugged him, but smiled at me when I stepped back again. "I will try to keep that in mind."

He nodded and the conversation was over. I rinsed out my cloth and laid it on the edge of the sink.

"I guess you are heading back to Shreveport?"

"Yes. Pam needed to get Eric's signature on some documents." He said by way of explanation. I nodded briskly. As if on cue, Pam strode into the room and stopped just a foot from me. Her painted lips bestowed air-kisses on either side of my face.

"We're off, cupcake." She grinned at me, her pale blue eyes twinkling. "Your vampire awaits."

I gave her a watered down version of my standard glare and bade them both a farewell. It took me a good minute or two to gather my thoughts and go to Eric.

He was sitting much as he was when I left him, elbows braced on widely spaced knees. His golden hair tumbled forward messily, as if he had been running his giant hands through it. He looked up as I entered the room and a warm smile lit up his entire face. I was again struck by his incredible beauty. Handsome, gorgeous, attractive – they were all acceptable adjectives, but none were adequate. His undeniably masculine face was so perfectly formed, so well-proportioned it could only be described as beautiful.

He stood as I lingered in the doorway. Smiling widely, he held his arms out.

"Jump," he said and I ran to him, leaping high at the last moment to land safely in his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist. He held me tightly as he spun us in circles until I was breathless with laughter. I squealed loudly when he raised me in the air until my head brushed the ceiling. His laughter rang through the room before he brought me back down to nestle against his broad chest.

A moment later he had us repositioned on the couch, with me sitting sideways in his lap. He held me for a moment, gentle hands running through my hair. I relaxed under his touch, happy to stay in the moment.

"I need to talk to you about what Godric told me." Eric's voice eventually broke the silence between us and I squirmed around to look at his face.

"We talked about this, Eric. I think I want to wait until the curse is broken and you can tell me then." I felt it was only right to wait for him to have his full faculties first. I really felt that way now that I knew I already took one choice away from him.

He sighed. "I think you are right, Sookie."

I looked at him in surprise. "Is it that bad?"

"No, I don't think it is bad at all." Eric frowned as he spoke, though. "I think it is just simply too complicated for me to explain. Godric could only tell me so much, but I think it would be best for you to hear the whole story, not just the bits and pieces I could give you."

I couldn't decide if I was relieved or pissed off. I didn't want to hear the story from this Eric, but now that it was being denied to me, I didn't know how to feel. I sat silently on his lap for a long moment.

"I promise you, I don't think it's bad. I don't think you will, either." Eric continued stroking my hair, the motion soothing my rattled nerves.

"What's a couple more nights?" I deliberately kept my tone light and hoped he wasn't picking up on my confusion through the bond.

"I promise you, lover, it will be the very first conversation we have. I will tell you absolutely everything you need to know, no matter how long it takes us." His fierce vow held weight. I knew he would keep his word.

I decided that was enough for me.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hallow has been found and the end of the spell is near. What will happen when the spell is broken?<em>**


	47. His Heart's Desire

**_I want to apologize to those who left lovely reviews on the last chapter. I haven't gotten to respond to any of you yet, and I want you to know your words were so appreciated. This story is so long and involved, I'm surprised anyone has stuck with it this long. I love you all!_**

**_As always, I own nothing._**

* * *

><p>The next couple of days were spent with Amelia, mostly just hanging out, although she did check to see if the wards were holding strong. Satisfied they were as strong as always, we dove into the goody bag of chocolate, Ben &amp; Jerry's and crunchy potato chips my witchy friend had brought with her. We spent the majority of the time just talking and getting to know one another, but I did show her how my training was going and she offered some training tips in return.<p>

It was fun just hanging out with a friend. I missed Lafayette terribly, and Tara too, but I was seriously looking forward to some girl time with Lala. I was sure he and Amelia would hit it off well, too.

My nights were spent wrapped up with Eric in our own little cocoon. With the exception of the meeting with the witches and vampires, we had been completely alone for two nights. All communication from Shreveport had happened on the telephone.

It had been a glorious two nights where we'd pushed aside our troubles, and the prospect of the trying times ahead, and indulged in long nights filled with passion. We lived, laughed and loved, as corny as that sounds. We talked about everything and anything, except the future. An unspoken agreement didn't allow either of us to move past the here and now.

Time flew far more rapidly than you can imagine, and before I knew it, the third evening was upon us. As Godric had predicted, tonight would be the night they brought Hallow down.

I sat cross-legged in the corner of the couch, watching as Eric wore holes in the expensive rug as he paced back and forth across the living room. He'd been a grumpy bear for most of the evening. Like the vampire he was before, Eric despised being left out of the action. He'd fought so viciously with Pam on the subject, even threatening to order her to let him take part. It had fallen to Godric to point out that a maker's command from him would effectively override any such action.

Eric had glared balefully at the pair of them before stalking out of the room. A door slammed loudly, rattling the house, and moments later a savagely enraged roar ripped through the quiet night. My heart broke for him as I listened to him bellow away his pain and anger, but I agreed with Pam. Until we could ascertain the spell she'd cast on Eric, we had to assume he might still be under her control, if she could get to him.

It wasn't a risk I was willing to take, and I thanked God that Pam and Godric agreed with me. For a vampire, especially one as old as he, Eric had been particularly petulant and sulky until the other vampires departed for Shreveport. He bitterly resented being left behind as his maker and child marched into battle without him.

We waited silently, me sitting and him pacing, for what seemed like hours. I deliberately sat with my back to the ornate clock hanging on the wall. I didn't want to watch the seconds tick by as we waited for word. I occupied myself by picking at my cuticles until I pulled on a hangnail and a bead of crimson blood pooled on the edge of my nail. I lifted my hand to my mouth and was about to suck instinctively on the wounded digit when Eric appeared before me.

"Don't," he commanded hoarsely. He was on his knees before me, but yet still towered above my slumped position on the couch. My hand hung awkwardly in the air, the bead of blood growing ever larger. I don't know how I kept my hand steady as Eric leaned in, mouth open and eyes locked on mine, but I never allowed the drop to spill over the edge of my finger.

I watched with languid eyes as his mouth engulfed my bleeding finger. His tongue swept over the small tear and a deep moan of appreciation emanated from his throat. The vibrations travelled to areas still sensitive from our "morning sex" when Eric rose for the evening. He continued to suckle on my fingertip, making me acutely aware of how sensitive that skin could be.

He reluctantly let my finger go after a minute and dropped his head into my lap. I stroked my fingers through his messy hair, smoothing the strands into place. We sat like that for long minutes. I was happy enough to provide whatever comfort I could as we waited.

When the phone rang maybe an hour later, I expected Eric to dive for it. He surprised me when he sat up and simply looked at it for a couple of rings. He eventually reached for it and I held my breath as he answered. My eyes were glued to his face as I searched for a clue as to how the conversation was going. Eric wasn't saying much, but after a moment a grin split his face from ear to ear and the life returned to his eyes.

I guessed the vampires were successful in their quest. Hallow must be in custody. I wondered how long it would take for Eric's memories to return. Would it happen suddenly, a great swell of memories flooding back into his head; or would it happen slowly, a trickle-down effect over a longer period? My throat tightened as I considered what tomorrow might bring.

Eric tossed the phone onto the cushions beside me and leaned in for an enthusiastic kiss. I was nearly breathless by the time he released my lips. I was completely breathless a moment later when he picked me up and swung me around like I weighed nothing. His happy, carefree laughter was infectious and I found myself giggling along as I tried to clutch onto his bulging biceps.

With solid ground beneath my feet once again, I laid my hand on Eric's chest and looked up at him expectantly. He grinned and confirmed my suspicions.

"They've got her. And most of her coven."

"So, what now?"

"They are transporting everyone to a holding facility for questioning. Octavia located Hallow's spell book and she says it will likely be a simple matter to restore me to normal." He grinned happily again before continuing. "Pam says your assistance may be required to figure out what to do with the rest of the coven."

"I'm glad to help," I offered sincerely. "We know some, if not all, we being forced to participate. I understand they are still guilty, but their punishment need not be as severe as Hallow's. Whatever I can do to help, just say the word."

"I believe she wants you to meet the Were's tomorrow and get it over with in the daytime." His right eyebrow rose into a suggestive pose, matching the seductive smile on his lips. "Perhaps you can meet me at Fangtasia and we can re-create the scene in my office you told me about. I'm most curious."

I laughed, even as heat pooled between my thighs. That had been quite a night. I sighed happily as I thought of the many ways we'd christened his office. I'd been so in love with him that night. I looked up into his beaming face and realized I was just as in love with this vampire. My smile dimmed and Eric immediately frowned.

"What is the matter, lover?"

"It's nothing. I'm being silly."

"Nothing is silly. Tell me."

"I'm going to miss you." I shrugged my shoulders, realizing I wasn't being overly clear. "I love you, but you are going away."

"I'm not going anywhere, lover," Eric's frown deepened as I spoke. "If anything, I will be more present. I will be whole again."

I sighed unhappily. It was hard to explain this to him. It was hard to keep it straight in my head.

"For better or for worse, it seems like I will always view you in three separate ways. You are Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area Five. You are also my beautiful dream vampire. And now, you're just Eric, a vampire I love." I spoke softly, willing myself not to choke up. "I love all three of you, but I will see you again when you are back to being Sheriff of Area Five. I will see you again in my dreams. But I won't ever see this you again."

Eric gathered me close to him, my head tucked under his chin. A large hand rubbed up and down my back in a soothing rhythm.

"Oh, Sookie." His voice was tender as he comforted me. "Even though this is a side of me you haven't seen before, it must always have been there. I'm still the same person. You will see this part of me again."

I stifled a sob and agreed with him, even though I thought he was wrong. I didn't want to mar his happiness any further.

"Are they going to break the spell tonight? Do you have to be there for it?" I asked, changing the subject deftly.

"Octavia believes I will not have to be there, and Pam still feels it safest if I avoid Hallow until the spell is broken." He was still annoyed, I could tell.

"What do you think will happen? When she cast the spell, you disappeared," I fretted. "I hope you don't do that again."

"I don't think I will," he replied. "As for my memories, Pam said they will probably not return immediately, but rather I will likely wake intact tomorrow, should it work. If not, we will try again with me in the room as the spell is unwoven."

"Okay," I said happily. "That means we have another whole night to ourselves, then."

"Why, I believe you are correct, Miss Stackhouse," Eric leered at me with a lopsided, sexy grin.

"Whatever shall we do with our time, Mr. Northman?" I teased back.

"I believe a thorough ravaging is in order, Miss Stackhouse," he replied. "But first, there is something I want to tell you."

"What's that?"

"The reason I don't believe I will disappear again is something Octavia passed on to Pam." Eric's face turned solemn and I could feel the seriousness of his blood inside me. "It turns out a major component of Hallow's spell involved you, Sookie."

"Me?" I asked with surprise.

"Yes. Part of the curse was for me to be close to my heart's desire, and never know it. That's you, Sookie. That's why I was running down Hummingbird Lane the night you found me. She'd cursed me to forget my life, and my love for you, but you found me, lover. You broke the most important part of the curse."

I stared at Eric with wide eyes. Of all the reasons I'd come up with for him being so close to my house that night, I never would've stumbled upon that one. To be near his heart's desire? Who would have thought of that one? I shook my head and cleared my throat.

"That's diabolical," I whispered. "Are you sure that was the right spell?"

"Yes. She was certain." Eric looked at me with love burning brightly in his eyes. "You do know what this means, right?"

"Not really," I admitted. I wasn't sure what he was getting at, anyway.

"It means, my darling Sookie, that not only are you my heart's desire, my lover," he bent to place a soft kiss on my lips. I shivered as he pulled away. "It also means that you were his heart's desire, too. He truly loved you, just as I do."

My face must have showed my shock and confusion because Eric gave a short laugh and dropped a kiss on the tip of my nose.

"It's not rocket science, lover. Her curse sent me to be near my heart's desire and not know it. What else do you think I could have loved out here in Bon Temps?" He smiled and gathered me to his chest in a reassuring embrace. "I had to have loved you, then, too."

I kept my face pressed against his muscular chest as I thought. My arms wrapped comfortably around his trim waist while his held me securely. I let myself think for a moment, knowing he was going to give me all the time I needed.

If he was right about the wording of the spell, then it was kind of obvious why he was running down my street. But there was still a niggling doubt in the back of my mind telling me there were other explanations. He was right in his assumption there was nothing else in Bon Temps he would have loved, but for all I knew, he could have re-appeared anywhere else, near his true heart's desire. Maybe it was simply the bond that brought him to me.

"What is it?" He questioned softly. I'm sure my emotions were ricocheting all through the bond.

"You might be right," I admitted just as softly. "But I was wondering if it were only the bond that brought you to me, after all. You could have re-appeared next to your heart's desire, but the bond drew you here."

His large hand cupped my chin and gently tipped my head back until he could look into my eyes.

"There was nothing before I appeared here, Sookie. Nothing but blackness. I was here because you are my heart's desire." The truth rang in his tone, as soft as it was.

"I don't know what to say." I was a little dumbfounded. I had thought he might love me, then I allowed myself to doubt. Now, Eric was pulling me back in, giving me irrefutable evidence his true self must have loved me, after all. Magical curses can't lie, right?

"Say you love me. Say you will stay with me," he pleaded, his eyes earnest.

"I do love you, Eric. I have always loved you." I stared back into his eyes, searching for the truth to continue. I found it somewhere in his mesmerizing orbs. "I will stay with you. I promise you we will make this work."

Eric's lips crashed down on mine and all thought scattered as he took possession of my mouth, and my faculties. I responded to his kiss with abandon, pouring all my love into it. Somehow, we would find a way.

I couldn't lose him again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Another chapter done and one step closer to the spell being broken. The story is far from over, though, and things might get a little bumpy for a while. Don't worry, though, these two are meant to be together!<em>**


	48. What the hell are you doing?

_**Thank you all for reading! It continually blows me away every time I look at the stats for this story. You are amazing, and I hope this story doesn't disappoint.**_

_**My heartfelt thanks go to Weewoman1 for being kind enough to pre-read this chapter and point out my typos.**_

_**As always, I do not own these characters.**_

* * *

><p>The bedside clock Eric installed for me read 10:45 when I opened my eyes. I sighed happily as I settled back down and curled my body around my vampire once again. I rubbed my cheek against the smooth, taut skin covering the hard muscles of his pectorals. He'd absorbed enough of my body heat through the night to almost feel warm.<p>

I dozed in and out for the next hour; Alcide wasn't due to pick me up until 2:00. I finally hauled my very contented ass out of bed around 12:00 and headed for the shower. An extra few minutes were spent making sure I was buffed, shaved, and ready for Eric's plan for the evening. It didn't take long before I was dried and robed. I immediately went straight for the kitchen and flipped on the coffee pot. Eric had thoughtfully taken to filling the coffee grounds and water before he went to rest in the mornings.

One more reason to love him, I thought happily as I waited for the coffee to brew. I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks as I thought of the many and varied ways we'd shown each other our love last night. I had never before felt as loved, as complete, as I did last night. Even the night we'd shared blood and made love for the first time wasn't quite the same. There was something about a mutual declaration of love.

I popped a couple of slices of bread in the toaster and got out the butter and strawberry jam from the fridge. My toast was ready the same time as the coffee and I poured myself a big mug before taking it and the toast out to the sunny deck. It was cool outside, but the sun still felt wonderful on my skin. I sipped on my coffee and munched on my toast, enjoying the beautiful space around me.

It surprised me how easily I'd adapted to living here. I had memories of living with my parents, but Gran's was home for most of my life. I always thought I'd find it hard to move on and live somewhere else, but I'd shocked myself this past week. I knew it was only temporary and I was going to go back to Gran's house, but I still felt comfortable and at home here. I didn't feel like a guest. I truly felt I could live here.

It was one subject Eric and I hadn't really discussed, but it was one we would have to address sooner or later. We'd only just begun a relationship, but already the distance between us had grown tiresome. It would be easier to spend the little time we had together if we lived in the same place, or at least the same city. Other than my family home, there were only my few friends holding me in Bon Temps. I'd quit my job. I finished off the last of my coffee as I wondered whether I would like to live with Eric.

It would have its advantages, for sure. We'd see each other every day. I could work for Eric, and maybe get a part-time job on the side to give me something to do in the day times. We wouldn't have to face an hour-long commute just to see one another. That time could be spent together. And until I was able to better take care of myself, Eric could protect me better if I were close.

I stood up and turned off my thoughts as I went for a refill on the coffee. Like I said, we hadn't even discussed it and I practically had us living together in my head. I felt a little silly but brushed the feeling off. I was happy and in love with a man who loved me. Wasn't it natural for me to daydream about what our future might hold?

I took my second cup to the room holding all of my toiletries and clothes. I'd been sleeping with Eric the past few nights, but all my stuff was still here. I used the blow dryer to remove the remaining dampness from my hair before plugging in the straight iron Pam provided for me. I usually wore my hair naturally wavy or put more of a curl in, but I felt like trying something different. Eric had never seen me with my hair mirror smooth.

I was ready fifteen minutes before Alcide arrived. I had on a pair of tight dark jeans and a cranberry red top, but I packed a prettier, sexier dress to change into before I met with Eric at Fangtasia. I greeted Alcide with a smile when he arrived and we were off to Shreveport on schedule.

"You're looking good, Sookie. That vampire treating you well?" Alcide asked.

"Thanks, Alcide. You're looking pretty fine yourself." My werewolf guard was a gorgeous man. "And yes, he's treating me very well, thank you. We're quite happy."

Alcide gave me a sideways look. "Yeah, you look happy," he agreed gruffly. "You must be happy this shit with the witches is over. Almost over, anyway," he qualified.

I still wasn't sure exactly how much Alcide knew of what was going on, so I remained deliberately vague.

"Yeah, it's a relief, for sure."

"You'll know tonight whether his memories come back, right?" I must have looked surprised because he chuckled at my expression. "Pam told us last night what was really going on. I had no idea he didn't know who he was."

"I suppose it wasn't something they wanted getting out," I replied.

"No, I guess it wouldn't be good for the vamps if everyone knew their leader was out of commission."

"Something like that," I agreed easily. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Warehouse in the commercial district. Everyone's being held there." He leaned across me with an apologetic smile and flipped the latch to the glove compartment. He pulled out some papers and dropped them into my lap. "That's the background info Pam put together for you on the other witches. We think at least a couple of them are all but innocent. It seems she's been using some pretty heavy tactics to keep her coven in line."

I glanced over the names at the top of the sheet. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for them, even if they might have inadvertently helped Hallow in her pursuit to bring Eric down. If they were as guilty as she, I had no problem leaving them in the capable hands of the vampires. If they were innocent of ill-intent, I would do whatever I could to help them.

The rest of the ride was spent silently. I read the information Pam provided twice, making sure I had my facts straight. Alcide left me in peace and listened to the radio quietly. I wasn't aware of the time slipping by until we pulled into the parking lot of a non-descript warehouse on the outskirts of the commercial area. The dark grey building bore no signage. Alcide parked the truck in front of the lone door.

Getting out of the truck, I dropped my shields and listened for whoever was inside. I counted five Were brains and four humans, the coven and the guards, I assumed, along with Hallow. No one was thinking anything alarming, or even particularly interesting. Two of the humans appeared to be sleeping, or at least dozing.

"What's the layout in there?" I asked.

Alcide squinted at me in the bright sunlight. "It's mostly open, but there are a couple of offices."

"Okay, then I'll set up in one of the offices and you can bring the witches in one by one."

"Good idea," he replied. Jangling the enormous key ring in his hand, he located the right one and unlocked the door. "You can go into the offices without having to see them all together, if you want."

"I'd appreciate that."

"No problem," Alcide replied as he swung the door open and we stepped into the dimly lit interior. I blinked my eyes to adjust as Alcide motioned me towards the first of three doors to my right. "This one is probably best."

He ushered me into a small room with fake wood panelling on the walls. A battered office desk and three rickety chairs were the only furnishings. A calendar from three years ago hung from a thumbtack. It certainly was nothing to write home about, but it would do. I pulled the chair out from behind the desk and sat down. I pulled my notepad and pen from my purse and looked up at Alcide.

"May as well get started," I said with a bright smile. Alcide gave a curt nod and left the small room, not noticing that my smile was probably a smidge too bright. My nerves were wound tightly and I could feel the tension headache already starting to form behind my eyes.

I took a deep breath and tried to center myself. I reached for the bond between Eric and I and gave it a gentle caress. Moving on, I found the source of my Fae abilities and concentrated on my spark. I practiced building my shields in my head, shielding each brain in the warehouse individually. I waited for Alcide to reappear before I cautiously let down the shield around the human he brought with him.

Her thoughts were a tangled, jumbled mess. Panic flooded through her body as she assumed the worst. Alcide's chilly demeanor had frightened her to the core. I allowed myself to smile sympathetically in her direction in an effort to set her mind at ease. My voice was calm and measured when I spoke.

"Thank you, Alcide," I turned my smile on him. "That will be all for now."

He raised an eyebrow in question, clearly feeling he should stay in the room. I gave a slight shake of my head and nodded at the door. He nodded stiffly in reply and stepped out of the room. I could feel his brain hovering just the other side of the thin, cheap wooden door. I took comfort in his presence all the same.

"My name is Sookie," I smiled at the frightened woman as nicely as I could. "What is your name?"

"Lana," she replied, stuttering over her own name.

My mind flipped over the names Pam had provided until I came to Lana Thomas. This witch was thought to be helping unwillingly, and I hoped for her sake that was true. There was only so much I could do for her otherwise. She was just 26, the same age as me. If I remembered correctly, Lana had two small boys.

"It's nice to meet you, Lana," I replied, keeping my mega-watt smile blazing brightly. "Please relax. You have nothing to fear from me."

I watched as she visibly relaxed, although she still appeared wary, cowering slightly in her chair. Her mind was still racing, making it difficult for me to hone in on anything specific. She needed to relax even more before I could begin with any meaningful questioning. She was a fairly clear broadcaster, however, which was promising.

"Tell me a little bit about yourself," I instructed gently.

"What do you want to know?" she asked guardedly.

"Whatever you feel comfortable telling me. Where do you work?" I knew she worked at a magic shop that operated as a novelty occult store. I wanted to know if she would tell the truth without me having to dig for it.

"I work at the Mystic Moon. It's a novelty shop downtown." Okay, so mostly truthful. She omitted the fact it was a witchcraft supply shop.

"Oh, I know that place. How long have you been there?"

"A couple of years now," she replied. Her thoughts were becoming slightly more organized as we talked.

"Are you married, Lana?"

"No, I'm divorced," she said without a trace of bitterness.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I offered sympathetically.

"Thank you, but it's better this way," she replied. Her thoughts centered on a slim, attractive brown haired man for a moment before moving to her children.

"Do you have any children, Lana?" I listened as her thoughts turned to her children; specifically, how she would still do whatever it took to protect them. She thought of lying to me, but then wondered if that would make things worse.

"I do, but I don't want to talk about my children," she finally replied. I got from her head that she'd moved the kids a couple of nights ago to stay with her cousin in Georgia. She wanted them far from Hallow's grasp.

"Why don't you tell me why you think you are here?"

"Because I was stupid enough to get caught up with a lunatic," she replied honestly. She believed Hallow to be insane.

"Could you explain, please?"

She sighed and stared at me for a long moment. Her head was filled with questions about me. Could she trust me? Who was I really, and why was I there? She thought there was something about me that was comforting and reassuring, though. She was cautious, but she thought she could trust me. Her thoughts told me she believed she had nothing left to lose. She finally began to speak.

"To make this brief, I'm going to assume you know why I'm here," she said with a question in her eye. I nodded my head and she carried on. "I am a witch. They're all witches, but Hallow, the tall one, is supposedly our leader. I wanted nothing to do with her when she approached me, mostly because she felt 'off' from the moment she walked through the door."

I nodded my head, indicating I was following along. I was, but I was watching the visual of it in her head. Everything she was saying synched completely with her thoughts.

"You have to understand the way she operates is not the way a true witch does. We don't go around propositioning strangers to form a coven. It's not done." She shook her head in disgust. "I turned her down, and hoped I'd seen the last of her. A week or so later she was back, again asking me to join her. She told me of how powerful we would be, but I rejected her proposal again. This time, she didn't leave, but instead started to talk to me about my boys. She called them by name, talking about their pre-school and their sitter. She knew everything about them."

"She used them to force you into joining her?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes. She threatened to curse them with horrible, terrible things. I tried everything I could think of, short of going to the police. I finally agreed to do as she asked."

"What about the others? How many of them were being forced, too?"

Her thoughts flickered briefly from member to member. She knew at least two of the other women were being coerced, threatened by Hallow in the same manner. She didn't know much about the guy that was captured with them, but her thoughts touched briefly on 'poor Mark'. I got the impression she felt Hallow's brother was maybe a victim in this, too.

I felt sorry for the man, but after reading his thoughts, I didn't think he was innocent. He hated Hallow and all she stood for, but he craved power, too. It might be power to get away from Hallow, but he didn't care who he hurt in the process. He could have walked away from her at any point.

"The other two women aren't helping of their own free will," she said. "They are good witches, even if neither are very powerful. She was desperate and reaching for the numbers she needed for the magic to work."

"Did Hallow ever tell you what her plan was?" I asked casually.

"I honestly don't think any of us really know what she was trying to do," Lana said firmly. "All we knew was it involved vampires and she was desperate for it to work."

I listened to her thoughts for a minute. She was remembering the crazed look Hallow would get in her eye when she talked about their important mission.

"Did you ever get the impression she was working for anyone?" I asked curiously. Appius was still a looming figure in my mind. Even with Hallow in custody, we might still have to worry.

"I honestly don't know, although I think there may have been someone else pulling the strings. I overheard her and Mark arguing one night as I arrived. She was telling Mark that "he wouldn't be happy if things didn't work". I don't know who the he was, though, and I can't even be sure it's relevant. That's all I heard. They could have been talking about something else."

I didn't really need to pay much attention to her thoughts on this one. She was broadcasting loud and clear. I wondered what it meant. Was it Appius she was talking about?

I spent another ten minutes or so with Lana before escorting her back out to Alcide. I assured her I would help her in any way I could. She left feeling much better than she did when she walked in.

The other females were brought in next. Carolyn Woodford was a fiftyish woman with dyed blonde hair and glasses. She owned a small café downtown and it was her business Hallow threatened. Carolyn had poured her entire lifesavings into the café, including her retirement fund. Hallow seemed to know this. She kept up the pressure at the café, using small spells to make business rough until Carolyn caved.

Jamie Barnes was the last woman in the fallen coven. She was in her early forties, although she looked much younger. Jamie was an only child who'd recently moved back into her childhood home to care for her ailing, widowed mother. It was the mother Hallow focused on in this case. She'd threatened to harm Jamie's mother unless her demands were met. Like Lana, Jamie had capitulated easily out of fear for her loved one.

Neither woman knew anything more than Lana had provided, less considering neither had any insight on whether Hallow was working for anyone else. I sent both back out to their confinement with lighter hearts than before. It felt good.

The third witch, a man by the name of James Sutton, broke the pattern. He was the only one to enter the office defiantly, the only one to stare me down and refuse to answer my questions. I chose not to ask Alcide to leave the office for this one.

Since James was refusing to speak at all, I had to force myself to ask question after question and delve through his brain to pick out the answers. I learned one thing quickly. James was not pleased their magic failed. He was looking forward to reaping the rewards, but I couldn't figure out who he expected to reward him. I was surprised when I encountered holes in his brain where I expected to find answers. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I'd seen similar things at Fangtasia and had assumed it was the damage glamour left behind.

Had James been in contact with a vampire? Was it Appius?

A frustrating hour of questioning got me no further than where I already was. Unlike Lana, and Carolyn and Jamie to a lesser extent, James was not a loud or clear broadcaster. His brain was difficult to follow, but I was satisfied with what I had. I knew James fate was not in my hands anymore.

I signalled Alcide to remove the witch back to his holding cell. Once the two men left the office, I dropped my head onto the table and tried to let the stress filter out. My head was throbbing painfully. Using my telepathy took everything from me. I was glad I wouldn't be talking to Hallow today, too. We had all agreed it was far too dangerous to confront her without the vampires there for back-up, no matter how securely she was contained.

Despite how badly my head hurt, I was very pleased with my efforts. Three of the witches were absolutely without any measurable guilt in my eyes. I hoped all three would be returned to their lives quickly, especially Lana. My heart broke every time I thought of her having to send her children away. Perhaps now they can be reunited.

The tension was slowly ebbing from my body by the time Alcide returned. He lowered his large body into the small chair in front of the desk and looked at me silently. I gave up and raised my head from the cool wooden desk. The werewolf continued to study me.

"What?" I asked.

"You're really good at this mind-reading thing, aren't you?" he finally asked.

"Well, I've been doing it all my life," I replied flippantly.

"And you were working as a waitress?" Alcide shook his head and grimaced behind the thick stubble covering his face.

"There's nothing wrong with waitressing," I replied defensively.

"I know that. What I meant is that you could have been making good coin doing this mind-reading mojo you got going on. Why work on your feet all day if you don't have to?" His brows had drawn together in puzzlement.

"Honestly?" I asked somewhat rhetorically. "Until I met Eric, I never really thought there was a market for it. It wasn't something I ever thought about. I wouldn't have known how to go about getting that work, even if I had of thought of it."

"I suppose you're right there," he admitted. "It would only be supes you could market yourself to, but you could make good money doing it. I know the pack would hire you once in a while, just to make sure everything is on the up and up."

"I can't get a clear read on Were's, though. Your brains are different from humans."

"It wouldn't be Weres you'd be reading. Probably human employees, and suppliers. My father's construction firm alone does a few multi-million dollar jobs a year. It would be worth whatever you charge to know we can trust the suppliers and contractors we hire."

I thought about his offer. It made sense what he was saying. No one likes to get ripped off. I'd already agreed to do the same thing for Eric and the vampires. The contract I'd signed with Eric would mean Alcide would have to go through him to book my services, but I couldn't see Eric standing in my way, as long as I was protected while working.

"Maybe it's something I'll think about when this mess is all over. I do have an existing contract with Eric, though, and I think you might have to go through him to do it. All vampires do, anyway."

"I'm sure Northman will allow it," Alcide said with a frown.

"I'm sure he would, too. Let me think about it later, okay? And for now, I'd sure appreciate it if you could keep my telepathy to yourself."

"You take all the time you need, Sookie. And you have my word I won't tell a soul until you say it's okay." His teeth flashed when he smiled. They looked extra white against his tan and heavy dark stubble.

"Great." I returned his smile.

"So, what's the plan? Am I bringing you back to the house, or somewhere else?"

"I'm going to meet Eric and Pam at Fangtasia. Do you mind dropping me there?" The sun had set long ago. I was surprised I hadn't heard from Eric yet, but I held off calling him. I wanted to wait and see his face when he told me he remembered everything.

"Sure. You ready to go?"

The drive to Fangtasia took about fifteen minutes. I texted Pam to see if she was at Fangtasia yet. I wanted to use her office to change my clothes. She didn't respond.

We pulled up outside the bar and after saying goodbye to Alcide, I grabbed my bag and got out of the truck. It was early enough for there to be no line-up and I walked straight in through the door. It was also early enough for Eric not to be sitting on his throne, if he even planned on doing so tonight. I'm sure work piled up in his absence.

I waved at the bartender and made my way to Pam's office. I knocked on the door, but when she didn't answer I tried the door handle. Finding it unlocked, I slipped into the room and locked the door behind me. I stripped of my clothes pretty quickly and changed into the dress I'd brought with me. The dress was one Eric hadn't seen yet. I'd gotten it at Dillard's a couple of weeks ago and hadn't worn it yet.

It was the color of the dress which had caught my attention. People throw the term 'blood red' around all the time, but this color was pretty much the exact color of Eric's ancient blood. It was deep and rich like fine red wine, but with darker undertones. It made my fading tan look great, I thought, and the dress flattered my figure.

I took out the small make-up bag I'd brought with me and touched up, reapplying a thicker coat of mascara and some rose red tinted gloss to my lips. My straightening job held up well and I smoothed a brush through the stick straight strands. Satisfied I looked good, I slipped my feet back into my black heels and packed my jeans and top away. I kept my purse with me, but stowed my travel bag in the corner of Pam's office.

I checked in on the bond and laughed as I found Eric close by, and horny. I closed the door to Pam's office behind me and made my way the few steps down the hall to Eric's office. I tapped lightly on the door before opening it and looking inside. I could feel he was here.

The scene greeting me was not what I was expecting. My eyes bugged out of my head as I looked at him.

"What the hell are you doing?"

* * *

><p><strong><em>Worse cliff-hanger ever, I know. Eric's perspective is up next. Try not to hate on him too much, okay? I'm giving you all fair warning that things are going to get a little rocky for a while, but everything will be explained and resolved, I promise.<em>**

**_Please let me know what you think._**


	49. What it Means to Forget

_**Without further ado...**_

* * *

><p>The bar was mostly empty when I arrived, but there were enough fangbangers milling around to suit my purposes. I ignored the questioning glance I got from Clancy as I walked past him.<p>

"Pam is looking for you, boss," he called out behind me.

"Tell her I'm busy," I replied. I continued to peruse the scant crowd, looking for someone suitable for the moment. I knew there would be many to choose from later, but for now, I wasn't as picky as normal.

I'd woken from my dayrest this evening in a disoriented state. I was resting in one of the safehouses I rarely use, and for the life of me, I don't know why. I was having trouble recalling much of the events of the night, which in itself was beyond unusual. Vampires don't forget.

I'd dressed and left the house quickly, flying to my main residence in Shreveport when I didn't find my car outside the safehouse. Once home, I quickly showered and changed into black jeans and a black t-shirt. My mood was unsettled. It felt like there was something I was missing, something right on the edges of my brain tormented me.

To make my mood even edgier, I'd woken with a ravenous desire for blood and sex. I was surprised at the ferocity of my need. At my age, it was rare to be so driven by need. I didn't need a lot to survive, but at the moment I couldn't remember the last time I'd fucked or fed. I shook my head. Were the fangbangers becoming so unforgettable to actually make me forget them entirely?

I found my Corvette in the garage, despite remembering driving it to Fangtasia last night and waking up in Monroe without it. It was bothering me that I couldn't remember, but I was too driven by my bodily impulses to care at the moment. I would figure it out later. Perhaps I'd told Pam my plans.

I pushed the powerful car to its limits as I drove to Fangtasia. I couldn't explain the instinct that drove me, but something told me I would find what I needed at the bar. I drove well over the speed limit to arrive within ten minutes.

Now I prowled through the bar until my eyes landed on a passably attractive blonde. She was short, which was something I usually avoided because of the height differences, but there was something appealing about her curvy frame. I watched her until she noticed my attention. When she faced me fully to bat her eyes flirtatiously, I simply nodded my head towards the back door and walked off. As expected, she followed me. She knew enough not to speak as we walked to my office. I opened the door and looked down at her.

"After you," I smiled at her, knowing I really wouldn't have to work hard with this one. She was a hardcore fangbanger by the mess of healed bite marks on her neck. We walked into the office and as soon as the door closed behind me, she spoke.

"How do you want me?" Her question was blunt, and so was I.

"Take off your clothes and get on your knees." I stood with my feet set wide apart and my legs braced. I watched somewhat dispassionately as she removed her clothes. Her body was curvy and round, but I could see the evidence her curves would soon turn to rolls. For now, she would do nicely.

She dropped to her knees before me and looked up expectantly. My hands expertly undid the large belt buckle I wore and unzipped my jeans. My semi-hard cock fell towards her and her eyes widened as she took in my size. I'd seen that look enough times as to be completely unmoved by it. I waited impatiently for her to begin.

I was starting to wonder if I'd made a mistake with her when she leaned in and enthusiastically took me into her mouth. Her technique wasn't the best, but she was wet and hot and, even better, she was able to take me deeply. I drove a hand into her hair and held her as my hips pumped to find release.

The orgasm did nothing to sate my desires and I urged the blonde to her feet and led her to the large wooden desk. The fangbanger hopped up with no prompting and spread her legs shamelessly wide. Her bare sex was naked and wet, but I found myself pumping my softening cock in my hand. Once hard enough, I drove into the welcoming heat before me. The fangbangers moans started immediately. I found myself wondering clinically if she were faking her pleasure.

Far from getting lost in the sensations as I wished to, instead my mind wandered as I drove myself relentlessly into the woman sprawled over my desk. I was starting to wish I'd waited for something better when my attention was pulled to the door as a short, soft tap was heard.

The door opened slowly to reveal a stunning blonde beauty. My cock, still buried in the twitching fangbanger, hardened noticeably as I took in the remarkable beauty standing wide-eyed in the doorway. She was similar enough to the banger beneath me for me to do a double take, but on second look the similarity was brief.

The gorgeous blonde standing in front of me was luminous, her beauty shining from within. There was a grace and elegance about her that was noticeably absent in the woman I was fucking. This one possessed none of the attributes the newcomer had in spades.

Her golden blonde hair fell nearly to her waist, the strands as smooth and straight as the edge of a blade. The color of her hair, and her luminous blue eyes, was remarkably similar to my own. Her silky skin was the exact opposite; a warm, sun-kissed honey as opposed to my own milky paleness. Her generously proportioned curves were displayed to perfection by the formfitting, short dress she wore. The color, a dark red which immediately made me think of blood, enhanced her tanned skin and golden hair.

I smirked at her when I noticed the outrage and shock forming in her face. I deliberately drew my impressive length out almost entirely, knowing she was getting a good look, before driving home in one deep push. Her expression turned dark as she spoke.

"What the hell are you doing?" She looked absolutely shocked. I guess she'd never walked in on anyone fucking before.

"It's called fucking, sweetheart," I drawled out. I pulled out of the protesting fangbanger, who'd finally realized we had company. She lifted herself to rest on her elbows and glared daggers at the beautiful blonde holding all my attention. "You can join in if you want." I gave her a devilish grin as I winked at her.

I truly thought she was going to tell me to go to hell and storm away; it shocked me when she started to slowly walk across the room until she was standing just a foot away. My painfully hard cock twitched and bobbed in a fruitless effort to get closer to her. She stared at me for a moment, her blue eyes filed with an emotion I couldn't place.

In a move so fast I didn't have time to anticipate it, she struck me across the face with her open palm. The tiny spitfire before me packed more of a punch than I would have thought she was capable of. I shook my head in surprise before grinning down into her furious face.

"I take that as a no?"

"Fuck you, Eric Northman!" She spat the words viciously and I was struck by her ferocity. Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode angrily toward the door. I was fascinated by the way her ass moved under her skin tight dress.

"Maybe next time, sweetheart," I laughed as she stormed out of the office. She stopped in the doorway and fixed a deathly stare on me.

"You're lucky I didn't blast you into a million fucking pieces," she uttered harshly. "Don't push your fucking luck." The door slammed behind her, rattling on it's hinges.

A slow smile spread across my face. I had no idea who this girl is, but I wanted to know. Going after her would be fruitless this evening, and would likely only alienate me further, but I had to know who she was before she disappeared. I tugged on my bond with Pam as I turned my attention back to the now petulant fangbanger. Without a word, I pushed her back and drove into her once more.

It wasn't her face, or her body, I was picturing in my mind. It was the petite, beautiful woman who'd audaciously slapped me across the face before threatening me with severe bodily harm. I held my eyes tightly closed as I pumped my engorged length into the compliant fangbanger. As my balls tightened, I leaned forward and hauled her plump body closer. My fangs descended and I sank them greedily into her throat.

My cock exploded at the same time her warm blood rushed across my tongue. I pulled hard on the wound my fangs had created, swallowing a couple of mouthfuls of blood before pulling away. The door opened and I looked up, wiping the traces of blood from my lips. My cock slipped free as I turned to look at Pam. To my surprise, she was looking as sickly horrified as the blonde had been.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Eric! What the fuck are you doing?" She rasped the words out in a harsh tone. "Have you completely lost your fucking mind this time? Sookie will be here any minute."

I turned and slapped the fangbanger on the ass as she lay curled on my desk. "Get up," I ordered. She looked me in the eye and I immediately caught her in my glamour, making sure she would remember nothing more than having a good time.

"I think it's you who's lost her mind," I shot back at her as the fangbanger dressed silently. "Right now I need you to get your shit together and go find a woman for me. She's blonde, a little shorter than you, absolutely fucking gorgeous. She's got on a dark red dress."

"Oh, sweet fuck, Eric. That's Sookie." A look of absolute dread crossed her face. "Please tell me she didn't walk in on you fucking that banger?"

"What the fuck is a Sookie?" Strange name, I thought. I'd never heard it before. "Is that her name? Do you know her?"

"Yes, I know her, you fucking asshole!" Pam nearly shrieked at me, her anger pounding me through our bond. She gripped her head in her hands as she dropped onto the sofa. "I don't know what's happened to you this time, Eric, but you just fucked up big time. I don't know if you can fix this one."

"What the fuck are you talking about, Pam?" Her behavior was bizarre and I didn't understand what the hell she was getting at.

She looked at me and sighed. Pity shone in her eyes. It was directed at me. I was baffled. "What's the last thing you remember, Eric?"

"Funny you should ask," I replied with a frown. "I can't remember what happened last night. The last thing I remember is being here, at the party." It particularly annoyed me I couldn't remember much of the party. It was usually quite an event. "I woke up at the house in Monroe. I haven't been to that place in a year or so."

Pam's face dropped as she stared at me with something resembling defeat on her face. "The party was a week ago, Eric." My face bore its own look of shock. I could feel her sincerity in our bond. "You've been staying at the Monroe house this past week with Sookie."

"I don't remember any of it," I uttered after a moment of shock. "How could I forget an entire week, Pam? And who is this Sookie? Is she a donor or something?"

"No! She is not a donor!" Pam's expression went from bad to worse as she snapped at me. "I think you better sit down, Eric. I don't know why you don't understand what's going on here, but I need to tell you a few things."

I did as she asked and waited expectantly for her to begin telling me what the fuck was going on here.

"You met with a witch the night of the party. Do you remember that?" I shook my head negatively. I'd had meetings with witches earlier that week, but I couldn't recall seeing them at the party. "Well, trust me, you did. Something went wrong in the meeting and you were cursed. You disappeared, Eric. No one had a clue where you were."

Anger boiled through me at the very idea of a fucking witches curse. A desire for vengeance percolated in the background of my mind.

"How did you find me? And why can't I remember any of it?"

"I didn't find you. Sookie did. You were barefoot and bleeding, running down her road, when she came across you. All of your memories were stripped from you, Eric. You didn't even know your own name." Pam shook her head. "I contacted Octavia immediately and we did a re-construction to find out what happened to you. It took us a week to track down and contain the witches who did this to you."

White hot rage burned through me. I couldn't fathom something so heinous being done to my person, and yet I had no memories of it. I would make each and every one of them pay for it. I would drain every one of them before ripping them limb from limb. I would bathe in their fucking blood.

Murderous thoughts consumed my brain until something else started to infringe. The stunning blonde with the fiery eyes kept popping into my head, interrupting the gory scenes of blood and entrails I was picturing. I gave in and questioned Pam further.

"Why did the girl stay with me in Monroe, if she wasn't my donor? Who is she, anyway?" I thought it was promising she'd stayed with me, for whatever reason. Her appearing in my office was not the happy mistake I'd assumed. It was obvious she'd been there to see me. Curiosity blazed.

Pam's demeanor changed abruptly. The look she gave me was reproachful. I couldn't help but wonder what the hell I was missing.

"I really don't get why you don't remember her, Eric. I suppose not remembering the past week's events could simply be a side-effect of the curse, a magic hangover, if you will, by why don't you remember her?"

The puzzlement in my child's eyes was genuine. This was no elaborate prank. There was a true emotional response behind her words. Frustration mounted.

"Why should I remember her, in particular? If the entire week is lost to me, why should she be exempt?" I asked curiously. Pam was making me crazy.

"You've known Sookie for months now, Eric. Your blood is in her. Didn't you feel her?" Pam spoke softly, but her words crushed me as surely as an avalanche of boulders. There was no fucking way my blood was in her. I would have felt her, as Pam suggested. Her scent was deliciously sweet and seductive, but I hadn't picked up any trace of me. If my blood were in her, I would know it. I felt nothing other than a desire to fuck her into tomorrow.

What the fuck was going on?

"Why is my blood in this human, Pam?" I growled out. I'd never given my blood to humans. The blood was sacred.

"First because she was dying and you decided to save her." My eyebrows shot up as surprise shot through me again. Why had I cared about saving a human, no matter how beautiful she was. "You shared blood a second time when you decided to bond."

I stared at Pam through narrowed eyes. I concentrated hard on our bond and found nothing but sincerity and worry flowing there. Somehow, I still didn't believe her. I had a thousand years of being vampire. Not once did I ever feel any urge to bond to anyone. Why would that change? She was a rare beauty, certainly, and was sexy as hell, but I had fucked many gorgeous women in my long life. It was nothing new. I had never felt the desire to spend much time with any of them, however, let alone tie myself to them for life.

"What's the catch here? There's no fucking way I would give my blood, let alone use it to bond myself to a human, for fuck's sake! And why can I neither feel her nor smell me on her?"

"I don't know why you can't sense her any more than I know why you can't remember her, Eric." Pam gave an unnecessary, but exaggerated sigh. "As for why you gave it to her in the first place, I can explain that to you, but I'm afraid you won't believe it. Godric will be here soon. I'd rather wait until he arrives, Eric. He can tell you a lot more than me."

I pulled back in shock. I hadn't seen Godric for many years.

"What is Godric doing here?" I asked with surprise. "And what would he know of the girl?" I don't think I'd even seen him during her lifespan.

Surprise flashed across Pam's face again. For a couple of vampires unused to shock or surprises, there was a hell of a lot of it going around tonight.

"You don't remember Godric, either?"

"Of course I remember my maker," I replied irritably. "I want to know why he is coming here."

"He's been here for a while now, Eric. He arrived right around the time Sookie broke up with you." Chagrin crossed her face as she blurted out something she hadn't intended. I pushed the Godric issue aside and concentrated on the more interesting piece of the equation.

"What do you mean, she broke up with me? You make it sound like I was her boyfriend," I scoffed before laughing out loud. It was truly ludicrous.

Pam let her body fall back against the sumptuous cushions of the new couch I hadn't noticed earlier in my lusty haze with the banger. The whole office had been redecorated, obviously during the last week since I couldn't remember it. I wondered about it idly for a moment before Pam replied, her head tilted back so she stared at the ceiling as she spoke.

"You were her boyfriend, Eric." She continued to avoid my incredulous gaze. "I'm sorry, but there is no other way to explain it. You and Sookie were committed and monogamous, Eric."

"Monogamous?" I exclaimed. "You got to be fucking kidding me." I laughed out loud at the very idea.

Pam reluctantly met my outraged eyes. "You haven't been with anyone else in months, Eric. You fuck and feed from her exclusively."

My cock twitched at the notion, clearly approving, but my mind balked at such an idea. I'd never been monogamous with anyone. I barely understood the idea. And even though I needed very little blood to survive, I couldn't imagine settling for one flavor forever. Even if it did smell like sunshine and honey.

"Are you sure she's not a witch, Pam?" It was my turn to sigh. "So why exactly did the human "break up" with her vampire boyfriend?" I snorted my disapproval of the very idea.

"Short story is she overheard you telling Godric some things she didn't like." Pam looked at me briefly before her gaze flickered away again. "Long story can wait till later."

"What does Godric know about her? Have they met?"

"Yes, they have. I think Godric should be the one to tell you what he knows about her," Pam stated firmly.

I grunted my frustration and reached for the bond I held with Godric. It hadn't been very active for years now, but I found a vibrant bond humming with life when I located it. It was in stark contrast to the empty hum I'd felt the last decades. He was close by, I noted with surprise. Perhaps a mile away and closing the distance fast. He must be flying.

"He's close," I reported grimly. I was excited to see my maker after all this time, but even more impatient to get to the bottom of this story. The little Pam told me only fueled my interest. The entire situation was out of character for me. I hoped he could shed valuable light on my unprecedented actions.

Pam didn't reply, perhaps thankful to be out of the line of fire. I monitored the bond between Godric and I closely. I knew the minute he arrived and I turned my body to face the door. The ancient vampire who'd turned me so many long years ago walked through it a moment later and a wash of joy flooded through me. I didn't know nor care if it were his feeling nor mine. I took comfort in it all the same.

I rose to my feet and greeted him by our custom. Pam, I noticed, merely nodded her head in greeting. The cautionary look on her face spoke volumes, however.

"How are you, my child?" Godric spoke in the ancient tongue known only to the three of us. "Has the curse been broken?"

"His memories have been restored," Pam replied when I did not. "There have been complications, however. His memories of the past week have been lost. He also does not remember Sookie. At all."

An inexplicable sadness burned softly in my maker's eyes as he looked upon me. His mouth compressed tightly, as if to hold back unbidden, ill-considered words. He continued to regard me with sad eyes for a long moment.

"Is this so?"

I nodded mutely, unsure of which words would adequately explain how I was feeling.

"Then we must get her here immediately. Perhaps seeing her in person will help. Where is she?"

"That's the problem, Godric. We don't know where she is. She came here earlier to meet Eric, only to walk in on him fucking a fangbanger." She tried mightily to keep the recrimination from her voice, but I still felt it. As unlikely as it would seem, I thought Pam might like the girl. Sookie. I rolled the name around in my mind as I pictured her. The unique name suited the unique beauty.

"I asked her if she would like to join in," I offered the information unthinkingly. Pam and Godric both looked at me with horror marring their attractive visages.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Eric," Pam didn't bother to try and hide her disgust this time. Even Godric's gaze became reproachful.

"What the fuck do you want from me?" I asked angrily. "I don't remember any of this! Why the fuck should I feel guilty for fucking? Tell me that!"

"Please calm down, Eric. Pam and I have developed a certain level of affection for Sookie. We aren't blaming you, but both of us recognize how hurt she must be right now."

I sat down once again, dropping my head into my hands. They were fucking killing me. Compassion for the human. How fucking sweet. Where was the compassion for me? I was the one waking from a nightmare to find I'd tied myself to a human. I thanked every fucking god above that we hadn't completed the bond. With only two exchanges, it will wear off. I couldn't feel her now. Perhaps I wouldn't feel her at all. The undoing of the spell might have eradicated our tie.

"Would one of you please tell me how I came to be blood tied," I spat the words out derisively, "to a human?"

A long, unlikely story unfolded over the next couple of hours, detailing an alternative version of my life. Godric and Pam both revealed to me what they knew of my life-long, unbelievable involvement with this woman. Godric told me of the nightmares I'd suffered, the pain I'd endured through the years because of her presence in my life. I knew nothing of any of it. I remembered a relatively happy existence, traveling and exploring with Godric, and later Pam, at my side.

Pam refrained from her usual sarcasm and snark to gently explain all she knew of my current involvement with Sookie Stackhouse. She believed this woman was meant to be my mate, and she thought I felt the same way.

I couldn't say for sure, of course, but I sincerely doubted it. I didn't know this vampire they described to me, but I certainly felt no need to acquire a mate. I wouldn't mind fucking her – I'm sure she must be good if she kept me satisfied for months – but that's all I want from her. As far as I was concerned, the witches curse did me a giant fucking favor. I was still going to drain every one of them, but they'd removed her dangerous influence from my life.

I would keep her protected, of course, and out of the grasping clutches of the Queen, but if anyone thought I was going to start acting like a lovesick puppy again, they were sadly mistaken.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to go to her?" Godric asked gently.

"Fuck, no." I stood up and stretched. "Forgive me, because I know you two are attached to her, but I'm not interested. As far as I'm concerned, I've been given a lucky break. I don't have to be tormented by her for another thousand years, and I don't intend to be." I shrugged. "I'm just thankful we didn't complete the bond. Eventually whatever blood is in her will fade and she will be gone completely from my life."

Pam and Godric exchanged a worrying look. Pam sighed before looking at me and dropping the biggest bombshell of the evening.

"I'm afraid that will never happen, Eric. You may not have completed a vampire bond, but you and she are bound by fairy tradition. You are already tied for life."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Bring it on. I know you all hate me right now, but I promise to make it all better. Eventually.<strong>_


	50. The Morning After

_**Thank you to those of you who took the time to read and review the last chapter, and are still reading after the last chapter! **_

_**As always, I own nothing.**_

* * *

><p>I made it only as far as the employee parking lot before I broke down into hysterical sobbing. I leaned against the brick wall of the building, desperately wanting to be anywhere but here. My heart was shredding into the million pieces I'd threatened to blow Eric into. I should have blasted the bastard into oblivion, I thought bitterly. He deserved no better.<p>

I squeezed my eyes tighter as images of Eric's body slamming into someone else rose in my mind. Bile rose in my throat and I wished with everything I had in me to let me be somewhere else. I didn't even have a car to facilitate my escape.

My head was throbbing uncontrollably and my body quaked with the force of the sobs racking my body. I barely registered the tightness I felt encompassing my body for a moment. I just wanted to be home. When I finally got myself together enough to move, I opened my eyes and made to stand up, but shock put me back on my ass.

I was home.

I was in my bedroom at Gran's house.

I looked around me in shock. Eric's going to be so proud, I thought randomly before allowing fresh sobs to take over again. He'd been hopeful I'd develop the ability to teleport, but I shouldn't care anymore what he felt. He betrayed me tonight in a way I could never have imagined. He had to have known I would walk in there tonight. He had to have known I would find him.

I shuddered as I thought of the lascivious look he'd given me as he stood there covered in another woman's fluids. Bile rose in my throat again and I made a dash for the bathroom just in time. I heaved until I had nothing left in me before slumping against the cool surface of the tub. I had no energy to move.

I had nothing left to give.

I don't know how long I sat there but I eventually stood and stripped off the sexy dress I'd bought for Eric. Balling it up, I tossed it into a corner as I recalled another time I'd stripped off a pretty red dress I'd bought to impress that bastard. I'd come home in tears that night, too.

The water ran cold as ice before I finally turned off the spray and stepped out of the shower. I toweled off and dressed with robotic movements. I walked like a zombie to the kitchen where I poured myself a large glass of the whiskey Jason had left there a few months back. I picked up my drink, and the bottle, and walked into the living room. The darkened room felt soothing as I sat and sipped whiskey until the tell-tale streaks of orange started filling the sky.

I had thought I would be bonded to my vampire now, falling asleep in his arms. Eric had wanted to complete our bond last night, but I'd thankfully convinced him to wait. I wanted him to be complete when we made the bond complete. I was never so happy to have made that decision. Dealing with the fairy bond was going to be bad enough. I was grateful the vampire bond wasn't complete. What we had would eventually fade and leave nothing but the fairy bond. I drunkenly hoped I would be able to control that bond more than he, simply because I was Fae, or at least part.

I got up and stumbled to the laptop I'd bought recently. After a few missteps I found the site I wanted and made my arrangement. There was literally nothing holding me here anymore. I had money. Why not put it to good use?

I was getting the hell out of dodge.

A splitting headache pulled me from my sleep a few hours later. The empty whiskey bottle got a baleful glare before I got up and trudged to the kitchen, the empty bottle in one hand. I felt like a truck had run over me, and part of me wondered if that might not have been a kinder fate.

I checked my e-mail to make sure I'd made the reservations properly in my drunken haze. Everything appeared fine and I sighed. I knew I was running away from my problems, but who could blame me? What rational person would want to put themselves through any more of that pain?

My aching, hung-over body protested wildly, but I marched up the stairs again after putting on a pot of coffee and took another quick shower to rid myself of the stink of booze. Feeling a little more human, I quickly downed the first cup of coffee before moving on to a more leisurely second cup. Finding some paper and pen, I started making notes of everything I would need to do before I left. I made lists of everything, mostly to keep my mind busy. When I'd listed everything I could think of, I made one final notation.

Call Pam.

Even though I wanted nothing to do with vampires in that moment, I didn't want Pam to worry when I disappeared. Regardless of her relationship with her rat bastard maker, I liked the sassy vampire and I thought she liked me. She deserved that much courtesy, even if he didn't.

A quick trip to Walmart got the necessities I'd need for my trip and I quickly began packing. My flight wasn't until tomorrow, but I was flying out of New Orleans and I was going to drive down this evening. I could have flown out of Shreveport, but I'd been drunk enough to ignore that option out of pure spite.

Once my luggage was packed, I made the short drive to Merlotte's. I hoped I'd find Lala working, but it killed two birds with one stone. I wanted the fine folks of Bon Temps to know I was leaving town freely. There would be no rumors started in my absence. The best way to accomplish that goal would be to announce my intentions in the middle of the bar. The whole town would know come nightfall.

Lafayette was indeed working and he squealed with excitement when I walked through the door. It was quiet in the bar, with only a couple of tables full. The lunch rush was early and Lala was sitting at the bar enjoying a break. I ran to him and let my best friend wrap me in an enormous bear hug. I still felt like crap, but it helped.

"What is going on wit you, baby girl? You look like hell, child," he pronounced somberly.

I gave a weak laugh and looked around me. This part of the story was something I didn't want the fine folks of Bon Temps discussing over dinner tonight.

"Got a few minutes to come outside?" I nodded at the door.

"Fo' yous, baby girl, anytime."

We walked to the edges of the parking lot, on the opposite side from Sam's trailer. I hadn't seen him in the bar and I didn't want him to hear what I was going to tell Lala. I couldn't bear to see an 'I told you so' look on his face. Not today.

"I'm going away for a while, Lala. I'm hitting the road when I leave here." I proceeded to fill him in on everything that had happened the past while. He went from shocked to outraged to enraged as he listened to my story.

"You shoulda staked the bastard," he finally muttered.

"I thought about it. I really did." Staked – blown to a million pieces. Same thing, really.

"Where you takin' that fine ass?" he questioned colorfully.

"I'd rather not tell you, if that's okay. I really don't think he'll come looking for me, and I am going to let Pam know I'm leaving town, but just in case…" My words trailed off. I honestly didn't think Eric would care enough to come glamouring my friends, but you never could tell with vampires. Their motivations were not the same as humans.

After he agreed it was a sound plan, I linked my arm through his. "Now come on. Maxine Fortenberry is still in there. Let me go tell her I'm going on a little trip." I winked at him and laughed. He joined easily. We all knew Mrs. Fortenberry was the biggest gossip bag in the parish.

I was on the highway an hour later. Lafayette had made me one of his special burgers for lunch, and packed a couple of sandwiches for the road. A shiny red apple was included in his care package and I remember Godric's talk about apples and fairies. It made me think about the fact I'd teleported last night. I'd allowed my grief to overshadow it then, but I was a little more excited as I thought of it today. With practice, I might hopefully master the skill. I certainly have no clear understanding how I managed it, but I was excited to be able to try.

I arrived in New Orleans an hour or so after sunset and drove immediately to the non-vampire safe hotel I'd booked myself into. I took all of my luggage, and Lala's care package, up to my room. It wasn't until I was safely locked behind multiple deadbolts did I truly relax. Bone-crushing weariness was setting in. I had only slept a couple of hours last night and even those hours had been alcohol induced. I unpacked a pair of pajamas to wear and hurried through a shower.

The sandwiches proved to be as delicious as promised and I devoured them quickly. With a full belly, the bed looked more inviting than ever. I crawled in to the crisp white sheets and sank back gratefully against the plush bedding. My weary head was cradled by the fluffiest pillows I had ever seen. It wasn't long before sleep claimed me.

* * *

><p>I glared at the column of numbers, willing them to make sense this time. Of course, that didn't work and I growled in frustration as I started from the beginning again. A significant amount of money was missing from Fangtasia's accounts. I'd been alerted to the discrepancy by my accountant, but I still hadn't ruled him out as the culprit responsible. I showed the ledgers to the side after another pain-staking perusal. The money wasn't there, no matter how I looked at it.<p>

"No luck?" Pam inquired, looking up from her own stack of paperwork. It had piled up dramatically in my absence and we were trying to power through the lot of it tonight.

"No." I shoved a hand through my hair in frustration. It wasn't the amount of money missing. Sixty thousand was a considerable sum, but it would take far more than that to break me. My frustration stemmed from not knowing who had the audacity to steal from me.

"Perhaps you could ask Sookie –" Pam stopped herself, her lips compressing into a thin line. "Never mind," she muttered darkly.

"Perhaps you have a good idea there," I mused out loud. "A telepath would be useful in this situation."

"Eric," Pam spoke in a warning tone. "Don't even think it. You've caused her enough pain, don't you think?"

I thought about staring her down, but the look in her eyes told me it would be futile.

"It was just a thought," I replied mildly. "But don't expect me to have a telepath in my retinue and not make use of her."

"That's fine, but not yet," Pam shot back at me. I could handle those terms, even though I really believed a telepath would be useful with this problem. It was most definitely a human who'd stolen from me. Pam and Longshadow were the only others with access to those funds.

"Have it your way." I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender.

I moved on to the next item requiring my attention, but my thoughts travelled to the telepath instead of the supplier invoices in front of me. I lamented the fact we were tied so closely together. In any other circumstances, I would have pursued her until she'd yielded to me. Knowing what I did about the ties that bound us put me off that idea. I regretfully knew it would be a bad idea to try and seduce her into my bed.

The way Pam had described the relationship between us had disturbed me to my very core. I just couldn't see myself the way her words painted me. That vampire sounded clingy, dependent – pathetic. I didn't care if she and Godric believed this Sookie to be good for me. I didn't see it that way. My history with her sounded bizarre and dangerous. Every sign pointed to this girl being just as dangerous. The treasonous game I played with my Queen proved that, as did the connection with Niall Brigant.

I still believed I'd gotten a lucky break when she'd been erased from my mind. My pragmatic vampire nature demanded survival above all else. Sookie Stackhouse threatened that survival. But I will admit she'd crossed my mind more than once tonight.

"Fuck," Pam muttered as she read an incoming text. "That was Sookie."

"What does she want?"

"She's left town. She says she'll be back, but she doesn't know when." Pam looked at me with accusing eyes. I was getting sick of being the bad guy because I couldn't remember this girl, or the over-the-fucking-top, romantic relationship we'd had.

"Where is she going?" I asked. I might not care about her, but I needed to know her whereabouts should the Queen inquire.

"She won't say," Pam barked back at me. "She says it's better this way. She wants to be left alone."

I laughed. "Tell her she could have stayed home. I'm not going to bother her." I looked away as Pam gave me a dark look. "And stop looking at me like that. It's not my fault I don't remember her."

"I'll try to remember that," Pam drawled, the sarcasm heavy in her tone. The desire to reprimand her rose, but I didn't want to drive the wedge between us any further. I couldn't believe how far she was willing to go to champion the part-fae telepath. It was unlike my cold child to allow anyone close to her, let alone let them into her life. I wondered idly what it was about the intriguing waitress that made even hardened vampires fall victim to her charms.

"Tell her to keep her phone with her and to check in with you when she returns," I finally offered. As my asset, she should have checked with me before leaving, but I was willing to overlook that if it got Pam off my back.

"You know what, Eric? I'm going to tell her no such thing," Pam declared defiantly. "If anyone deserves a vacation with no strings attached, it's Sookie. She's already said she will be in touch with me when she returns. That's good enough for me, and it's going to be damned well enough for you, too!"

Her vehemence was palpable and I held up my hands in surrender, and in protest. I knew I had to clear the air between us before this resentment grew.

"That's enough, child," I said calmly. I stood up and walked to her. I held out my hand and she somewhat reluctantly accepted it. I pulled her to her feet and led her to the couch, urging her to sit beside me.

"I recognize you care very much for this woman," I began. She started to glare at me again and I spoke again, my tone a little harsher. "You will listen to what I have to say, Pamela, and you will treat me with respect. Are you clear?"

She nodded her head silently, her eyes downcast. The rift between us was uncharted territory. We had rarely quarreled about anything serious.

"I know you like her, but I have to ask that you please try to see my side of this. I cannot have you angry with me like this. This resentment will fester between us, my child. I have seen it before." Vampires didn't often stay with their makers as long as I'd stayed with Godric, or even as long as Pam and I had been together. We were the exception to the rule. Our bonds were forged with loyalty and respect. If those qualities became undermined, the entire relationship could unravel quickly.

"I do not remember any of what you have told me. I do not remember her. She is a stranger to me. I am not drawn to her the way you say I was before. Other than being attracted to her obvious beauty, I'm not interested in her at all.

"The existence Godric described," I shook my head, my tone becoming grim. "It's not something I would wish on my worst enemy. Can you blame me for not wanting to go back to that unending misery? I have to believe I am better off without that part of me being restored. I don't want to get involved with her any more than I already am. I refuse to be bullied into it by you and Godric."

Pam had the grace to look somewhat chastened. Her eyes glittered with unspoken emotion as she regarded me silently while gathering her thoughts. I was proud of her for taking the time to think before speaking.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I realize I have been unfair to you and I apologize. Please understand I didn't intend to hurt you." She paused, obviously struggling with her words. "As you suggested, I have become attached to Sookie. I care for her. What is hard for me is that I know how much she cares for you. I know how badly this must have hurt her."

She paused again, her eyes closing briefly before she continued. "I'm not picking sides, Eric. You will always be my number one. But I won't be used as a conduit to hurt her, or needle her. If you want to issue directives to her, then man up and do it yourself. I won't be party to causing her further pain."

Her eyes met mine and I could see the defiance shining brightly. Loyalty for me blazed alongside it. I admired her for taking a stand with me.

"Okay. I can accept those terms." I would make use of her services, but I didn't expect to be in frequent contact. I would keep those interactions impersonal and businesslike.

"And I will see her if I want to. You won't try to force me out of her life, too."

"Agreed. You can see who you like. It's your life."

"Very well. You agree to not hurt her anymore and I will promise to treat you with the respect you deserve."

"We have a deal," I smiled at her, pleased to have a resolution to this problem. I didn't want to lose Pam from my life. Not only did I rely on her for work, I trusted her personally. That was huge for me.

"I'm going to head out to the bar and keep an eye on things." She stood up and walked to the door.

"I'll be out in a while," I replied absently. "Keep an eye out for anything tasty."

I made the comment purely out of habit. It was something I said to Pam frequently since the Great Revelation. I simply hadn't thought before I spoke.

She looked at me with a dark expression. I held my hands out in supplication for the third time this evening.

"Sorry," I said shortly. "Just habit."

"I know," my child replied seriously. "All the same, I think you can find your own dinner."

I nodded my head and she walked out of the office without a backwards glance. I felt better after talking to her, but I knew we faced an uphill battle.

Sookie Stackhouse was so much fucking trouble.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I would like to take a minute and address some of the comments that were left for the last chapter. First, for those who say they won't read anymore, I say I'm sad to hear that, but I won't try to change anyone's mind. This is fiction, and if you find it's not your idea of a good story, you have every right to walk away.<em>**

**_For those of you concerned with the direction of the story, all I can do is reiterate that this is in fact a 100% HEA story. These two being together is a given. This story is about the ride they take in getting there, and just like in the books, it's not an easy ride. There are problems and misunderstandings and lack of communication, just as is canon. _**

**_In this case, yes, that does mean Sookie gets hurt and has her heart broken, but that's exactly what happened in the books, too. The last chapter was as graphic as it will get as these two work their way back together. _**

**_I hope you all stick with it. There is still a tremendous amount of this story to unfold yet._**

**_Thanks for reading._**


	51. San Juan

_**All characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. I, unfortunately, own nothing but the typos**__**.**_

* * *

><p>I stretched my body in the sand, luxuriating in the feel of the warm grains beneath my back. The midday sun was strong in the beautiful city of San Juan. I'd been in Puerto Rico a week now and I was feeling great. The sun had done its job and I felt like my batteries were recharged.<p>

I sat up and reached for my water bottle. This section of beach was fairy deserted, but I searched the beach regardless, checking in on each brain I found. Satisfied I had nothing to worry about, I lay back in the golden sands. I'd decided I'd spent enough time running away. I planned on returning to Bon Temps in another day but I was determined to get as golden as I could in my remaining days. It was almost winter in Bon Temps.

I'd spent the first couple of days here in a rage, anger consuming my every waking thought. It even seeped into my dreams; they'd been horrid and depressing ever since that night. I'd dreamed of nothing but Eric's imminent death, or my own bloody demise. Neither made me happy, or did anything to improve my grouchy mood.

It was the third day before I felt myself coming back into my body. I'd spent as much time as I could outdoors, which wasn't hard since my nightmares woke me at dawn each morning. It was either lie in bed and think of what I'd lost, or haul my pathetic ass out of bed and go join the world outside. I was sure to be back in my room every night by dark. I didn't know if there were vampires here, but I was taking no chances.

I ate my dinner alone every evening, forcing myself to consume the tasty cuisine. I had no appetite and other than the light dinner I consumed in the evenings, I mostly existed on fruit. I was certain I'd lost weight during the past week; my bikini bottoms felt decidedly roomier than before. I wasn't worried. I had enough extra padding to support me and I knew my appetite would return eventually. Just as soon as my heart stopped bleeding.

I found a secluded cove a half an hour from the main beach and I returned there every morning to practice my magic. I was pleased with my progress. Anger may have been my fuel, but the results were the same. My control was becoming precise. I could juggle my light in my palms like I'd been doing it all my life.

My shields were stronger, which I was sure was a result of my increasing magic. I practiced using them and strengthening them in the evenings, using the other guest's brains for practice. After a couple of nights, I realized I could isolate a particular brain on any floor in the hotel. It was easy. It wasn't even difficult to monitor different thoughts from people located floors apart. It was a pleasant side-effect, if unexpected.

Wanting to be tanned evenly all over, I turned over onto my stomach, reaching behind me and brushing the sand from my ass and upper thighs. I scanned my surroundings again before settling back into my thoughts.

I was ready physically to go back and face my life, even though I had no clue what I was going to do with myself. All of my plans had centered on Eric. With him out of my life, I didn't even know if I wanted to stay in Bon Temps any longer, even if I would always call it home. I wondered if it would be difficult to live so close to him, but not have him loving me anymore.

The ramifications of the contract I signed with him weighed heavily in my mind. I didn't object to holding up my end of the deal, if I had to, but I would insist Pam be the vampire to accompany me on any jobs I had to do. I really hoped Eric would let me out of the contract all together if I decide to leave the state. I didn't know if it would be possible, but it was something I resolved to find out.

I didn't need to work to support myself any longer, but I couldn't fathom my entire life stretching before me with nothing to fill my days. Perhaps when I decide where I am going to live, I could open a small business doing something, but I didn't know what. I figured something would come to me eventually. I had options, which was the important thing. I wasn't stuck.

Emotionally, though, I was still a bit of a wreck. I was managing to hold back the tears in the daytimes, but there was no respite for me in the nights. The loneliness became too much in the dark and I still cried myself to sleep every single evening. My secluded cove gave me something other than a place to practice magic in peace. It allowed me a place to hide until the puffiness and blotchiness receded from my face.

The nights were easier to be than the mornings, I thought. At least when my tears came and claimed me, I could give myself over to them freely. The mornings brought clarity to my overwhelmed senses. I had nothing to hide behind. I quickly realized channeling my rage and hurt into my magic was the only way to escape the churning thoughts rampaging through my exhausted brain.

A shadow fell across my back and I squinted up to see what was blocking my precious sun. A large figure loomed over me and I cursed myself for not paying better attention to my surroundings. I scrambled to my feet, assuming a defensive posture.

"Hey!" The man laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." He smiled easily, showing strong white teeth.

I studied the man before me carefully. He was about six feet tall, with a muscular build. He wasn't nearly as big as Eric, or even Alcide, but his physique was impressive. His black hair fell in unruly waves over a wide forehead capping deep-set green eyes. He was attractive, but I knew that meant nothing. I opened my mind fully and reached out for his.

I took an instinctive step back at what I found. His brain bore the same signature as Claudine's and Niall's. He was fairy.

"What do you want?" I asked warily. My guard was firmly in place. I could feel my light tingling in my palms, ready to be unleashed. I hoped I could hold my own against another fairy, should it come to that.

"I truly mean you no harm," he replied. "I smelled your magic on the beach the past couple of mornings. I only meant to introduce myself. My name is Preston Pardloe."

I cursed my stupidity. I never thought anyone would pick up on my morning activities. It was stupid, too, considering Amelia had explained to me how every magic had its own signature. I remembered her telling me how any supernatural being would smell magic unless it was cloaked. I still had no idea how to cloak my magic, or even if I could.

"It's nice to meet you, Preston. I'm Karen," I replied. Karen Strickland was the name I was traveling under. It was the name in one of the three fake passports Mr. Cataliades had provided for me. Karen Strickland was a teacher from Naples, Florida.

"Where are you from, Karen?" he asked curiously. I frowned before replying tersely, "Florida."

He laughed. "No, I meant what part of Fae are you from?"

I stared at him, wondering if he was being friendly or nosy. I decided to be briefly honest, in either case.

"I'm mostly human," I stated firmly. "I've never been to Fae."

His face showed his surprise. "Really? Your spark is so strong."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't know that. I've nothing to compare it to."

"I could join you in the morning," he offered suddenly and unexpectantly. "You could show me what you can do. I could maybe offer you some pointers, if you like."

My suspicion skyrocketed, but I also felt guilty. I was condemning him on sight. He'd really done nothing wrong. Claudine had told me most fairies were very open and friendly with everyone they meet. They were a very social race.

"I appreciate it, but I won't be going tomorrow." I had planned to; in fact, I had been looking forward to my last morning on the beach. But I didn't think it was a good idea any longer.

"That's too bad," he replied. "You are vacationing here?"

"Yes. Tomorrow is my last day here." I squat to retrieve my water bottle and beach bag. I kept my eyes trained on him the entire time. "It as a pleasure to meet you, but I really must be going."

"Perhaps I will see you later," he replied with a smile. "It's always nice to run into another fairy in this realm. It can be lonely here, you know?"

Guilt really ripped into me this time. I felt like a complete heel for brushing him off, but guilty or not, I knew I had to look after myself first. And that included staying away from all supernatural beings for now.

"As I said, Preston, I've lived here my whole life. I wouldn't know," I replied with a small smile of my own. "I really must be going. Good bye."

I turned and hurried off down the beach. I didn't look back, but I could feel his eyes on me the whole way. I turned and hurried up the path to the pool area of the resort. I was annoyed my paradise had been disturbed. I didn't want to return to my room, but neither did I want to chance running into the fairy again. I walked to the bar area and sat down, careful to keep my shields open and scanning the crowd.

"Hola, Ms. Karen," the bartender greeted me warmly. He'd introduced himself to me my first day here, after I'd ventured downstairs with enormous sunglasses covering most of my face. _'I'm Juan. I put the Juan in San Juan. You need anything while you are here, I'm your man, okay?_'. He'd been nothing short of charming every time I'd seen him since. And he made a killer frozen fruit smoothie.

"Hola, Juan," I smiled brightly in welcome. "How are you?"

"Bright as the sun, Ms. Karen, bright as the sun." His reply never wavered, nor did his warm smile. "You want your usual?"

"Yes, please." I watched as he deftly chopped fresh, juicy fruit into small chunks and threw them into the blender. Ice cubes joined the mix, and a splash of fresh squeezed pineapple juice completed the recipe. The blender whirred and I watched as the mixture swirled, all the components coming together.

Juan poured the cold mixture into a tall, wavy glass he'd garnished with a slice of fresh pineapple. Laying it in front of me with a flourish, he smiled and leaned across the bar.

"Can I get you anything else?" he asked solicitously.

"Maybe you could give me some ideas what to do with my day?" I couldn't face sitting alone in my room all day. I knew what it would mean – too much time to think. "I think I need to get off the resort for the day."

"My cousin, she gives good tours of old San Juan. Want me to see if she is around today?" His warm brown eyes were guileless. I trusted him, even though I couldn't follow a word of the rapid fire Spanish dialogue running through his brain.

"That might be fun," I replied, warming to the idea as I thought of it. Other than the resort, I had seen nothing of the historic city I was visiting. Perhaps a day of sightseeing and history lessons might be just the ticket. "If she's available, I'd love to book her for the afternoon." I had no qualms about her. If she was even half as nice as Juan, I'm sure we'd get along fine for the day.

My friendly bartender went off to make his phone calls, and I sipped on my smoothie. I knew by this point I would be investing in a better blender when I went home. These things were delicious, but I didn't think Gran's old one would be up to the task. I allowed myself to allow a touch of anticipation to build up. I deserved to have some fun, I thought.

And it did turn out to be fun. Juan's cousin had turned out to be a warm, vivacious woman who rivaled her cousin's easy-going temperament. If anything, Lucia was even more entertaining. The woman had an acute sense of fun, and a wicked sense of humor. She'd kept me laughing for most of the day.

We spent the first part of the afternoon at the San Juan National Historic Site, touring the old World Heritage Site. I found it particularly interesting, especially since I remembered reading an old romance of Gran's that was set in San Juan during the time the military forts were in use. I was only about sixteen at the time, and had been completely swept away by the romantic tale of the Spanish military officer, and the penniless, but beautiful, Puerto Rican girl he'd fallen for.

We took a break mid-afternoon and visited a local café that was run by yet another cousin. Lucia had laughed when I asked how many cousins she had, telling me there were a couple of hundred, if you counted all the meandering family tree. Many of them, she related sadly, had moved to live on the mainland, but the family remaining in Puerto Rico was exceptionally close.

I felt a moment of envy and wistfulness as she spoke of their close-knit clan, but I brushed it off as best I could. I wouldn't begrudge Lucia and Juan the incredible luck they'd had to be born into such a huge family. I just wished I had been as lucky.

The café turned out to be delightful; a small, colorful building boasting a small interior and expansive outside deck. We picked a table for two on the deck and settled under the patio umbrellas. As much of a sun worshipper as I was, even I was grateful for the shade for a little while. It was still almost ninety five degrees.

"So what brings you to San Juan, Karen?" Lucia asked.

"A bad break-up," I admitted shortly. I was already feeling bad for using my fake name. I didn't want to lie any more than I had to.

"Ah, men," she replied whimsically. "Can't live with them, can't kill them."

Her words struck me so funny. I laughed genuinely for the first time in days.

"You got that right," I finally said, wiping the tears of laughter from my lower eyelashes. "Even though we might want to," I added. I had threatened to blow Eric into a million pieces.

"I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, Karen," Lucia reached out and patted my hand. "A broken heart is a tragedy."

"Well, it's certainly no barrel of laughs," I agreed grimly.

"Is there no hope?" she asked kindly.

"No. I walked in on him with another woman," I paused, trying to compose myself. "He asked if I wanted to join them," I choked out quietly. That invitation had struck me with the force of a tsunami. He could never have loved me, ever, I thought bleakly. There hadn't been a flicker of the love I'd thought I'd seen before in his eyes. He'd stood there brazenly, nothing but lust shining in his bright blue eyes. My own eyes closed tightly, trying to burn his image from my mind.

Lucia again laid her hand on mine, but this time she let it lay there in a gesture of comfort. She patiently waited for me to compose myself. I took a sip of my water, followed by a couple of deep breaths.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I don't mean to burden you with my problems. It's still just very fresh in my mind, you know?"

"We've all had our hearts broken, my friend," she offered sympathetically. "Trust me when I say I understand your situation."

"It's the first time for me," I admitted sadly. "He was my first love." And probably my last, I thought bitterly. I didn't know if my heart would ever recover from the damage he'd inflicted. And even if it did, who was I going to date?

"That's rough," she agreed. "How long were you together?"

I laughed. Such a simple question, with such a complicated answer. "I've known him most of my life, in one sense or another. But we only got together not long ago."

"There are plenty of fish in the sea," she said firmly. "There will be one who will love you as you are meant to be loved. When you choose your soul mate, you will be bonded with love. I can feel it."

Her proclamation took me back. Her words reminded me so much of my situation with Eric. It was eerie. Choosing, bonding – these were things I'd done with Eric. They were not things I would ever do again.

"Perhaps," I said lightly. "Time will tell."

The timely appearance of the waiter saved me from further conversation about my love life. After our orders were placed, the conversation naturally drifted to other subjects. The remainder of our lunch, and afternoon, was spent in enjoyable spirits. Lucia truly was great company.

After promising faithfully to look her up again should I ever come back to San Juan, I made my way back to my hotel room. Sunset was barely a half hour away. I placed a room service order for a light supper, and hurried to shower while I was waiting for my service to arrive. I wasn't hungry yet, but it was my habit to order early. I didn't even want to open the door to my room at night.

I was just dressed when the knock came on the door. They were fast this evening, I thought. I opened the door and cursed myself again for never learning from my mistakes.

"Hello, Karen."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed a little look into Sookie's mindset.<strong>_


	52. What to do?

**_I can't believe it's posting day again - but here it is! Hope you enjoy it._**

**_Thanks to Weewoman1 for being a doll and reading over my work before it's posted!_**

**_As always, I own nothing. Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball own these characters._**

* * *

><p>"Can I come in?" Pam asked carefully.<p>

"Sure," I held the door wide and she stepped through. Her high heels clicked on the wooden floors as she followed me into the living room. I'd been back in Bon Temps five days now, and this was my first vampire contact since my return.

I plopped onto the corner of the couch and wrapped my blanket around me again. The night was cool and I hadn't mustered up the strength or the interest to light a fire.

"Can we talk?" she asked bluntly.

"Depends on what you want to talk about," I replied.

"I think you need to know what's happening." Her pale blue eyes pierced through me. "With Eric."

"I don't think that's a productive way to spend my time," I replied mockingly.

"You don't know the truth, Sookie, and I'm not leaving here until you have it." She looked at me stubbornly and I smiled grimly. Stubbornness was also one of my most enduring traits.

"I saw all the truth I needed to see, Pam," I said staunchly. "He made his choice."

"Actually, Sookie, he didn't make a choice, because he didn't know he had a choice."

"Don't you dare," I sat up angrily. "Don't you dare try and defend him."

"Trust me, my friend, I am not going to do anything of the sort," she snorted derisively, "but you do need to know one important piece of information."

"Okay," I replied, giving a very put-upon sigh. I sounded like Maxine Fortenberry, I thought with disgust. "What is it?"

"He doesn't remember you, Sookie." Her eyes were grave as they met mine. "All of his memories came back, except for you."

I gaped at her inelegantly. Of all the things I was expecting to hear, that was not one of them.

"What do you mean, Pam? He doesn't remember me at all, or he doesn't remember the time we spent together that week?"

"He doesn't know who you are, Sookie. When you appeared in his office that night, he thought you were a stranger. He cannot feel his blood in you, either. The bond appears to have been removed."

"Oh my God!" My mind raced as her words sank in. What in the world happened to him? "Are you serious? How could that have happened?"

"We don't know. In every other respect, he's the Eric we've always known. All of his memories are intact, except for his recall of you." Pam shook her head.

"Are the witches working on it?" I asked. My mind was frantically casting about for answers, even as a part of me questioned why I cared. His memory loss did not wipe away the pain I endured.

"No, they are not," Pam enunciated each word carefully and slowly. I got the idea it was a question she didn't like.

"Why not?" I was genuinely curious anyhow, but I really wanted to know why she was edgy about that question.

She sighed, as she was wont to do in my presence. Her eyes broke away from mine to study the hem of her sleeve. "Eric doesn't feel it's necessary."

My body was still as a stone as her words dropped onto my head like bricks. One by one, pain by pain. I didn't know what to say. He didn't want to remember me. He thought I wasn't worth the effort.

"I see," I finally replied through stiff lips. "What does this mean for me, Pam?"

"I'm very sorry, Sookie." I looked up to meet her eyes. I could see her regret shining, but it didn't faze me much. I was drowning in fresh waves of pain. "I wish I knew what to tell you. Without his memories, we haven't really been able to explain you to him. I know you probably never want to see him again, but maybe if you talked to him? It might be what he needs to see straight again, Sookie."

It wasn't what I meant; my question had been directed at my status as Eric's asset, not his girlfriend. As his girlfriend, I'd had my heart broken one too many times. Did she really expect me to go crawling to the man who'd rejected the very idea of me?

"I don't think so, Pam." A short bark of laughter escaped my tension filled chest. "Like I said, he's made his choice. If he doesn't even want to know me, what can I do to change his mind?"

Pam stared at me for a very long minute. Ice had taken over her eyes by the time she spoke. "I had thought better of you, Sookie. I thought you would fight harder for him. Do you think he would give up on you like this?"

"He has given up on me, Pam! He doesn't want to remember me!" I argued my position fervently.

"That's because he doesn't remember the love you had, you foolish girl!" Pam nearly roared at me. She took a second to calm down before she continued. "Eric's mindset is like it was before you entered his life. He doesn't understand the meaning of love, and can't fathom tying himself to a human willingly. All of that changed when he met you the first time. I think he would change again if he would spend some time with you. If he could see what he was missing out on, Sookie." Her voice grew soft as her words finished.

Was I being unfair? Was I allowing my broken heart to stand in the way of common sense? He didn't remember me. Was any of this his fault?

My thoughts consumed me, my resolve wavering back and forth like a tennis ball at Wimbledon. Was I truly giving up? I knew I didn't want to expose myself to that kind of hurt again, but was I walking away from the greatest love I could imagine too soon?

"I don't know," I stated after some time. "Let me think about it and I'll let you know. I can't promise you anything, though."

"All I ask is that you try," Pam spoke simply. "I love him way too much to see him unhappy."

"Is he unhappy?"

"He thinks he is not," she said, "but I know the difference. He was truly happy with you, Sookie. During his memory loss, and before." She paused and gave me a beseeching look. "I know you can't be happy, either. I know you love my master."

"Loved," I corrected automatically. "I did love him. But I don't know how I feel about him now. It isn't love I feel." A small part of my brain began mocking me. _Liar, liar, pants on fire. You still love him._ I ignored it.

"If there is even the smallest chance you could have that love again, isn't it worth it?"

"That's what I'm going to think about," I replied honestly.

"Then I guess that's all I can ask," Pam replied.

Pam left not long after, telling me she would be in touch soon. I stood in the foyer and stared at the door after she left. My mind was a mess. I made what seemed to be the only sensible decision at the moment.

Taking the keys from the occasional table beside the door, I got into my old car and travelled the short, familiar route to Merlotte's. It felt a little strange to not park in the employee's area. A smile briefly lit my face when I saw Lafayette's car in the lot. I was hoping he was working.

I grabbed an empty seat at the bar and waited until Sam noticed me. I saw his nose twitch first, then his eyes met mine unerringly. I don't know how I always missed that about him. Sam smelled people before he saw them.

"Hey, chere." Sam greeted me with a smile. "What are you doin' slumming round here?"

"You stop that right now, Sam Merlotte!" I waggled a finger in his face playfully. I knew he was just joking. "This here is my favorite part of Bon Temps."

"Glad to know it," Sam grinned back at me. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Yup," I replied with a smile. "I'll have a beer, please."

I was waiting for my beer when Lafayette came up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around me. "I's thought I's heard you out here," he drawled out. "What you doin'?"

"Hoping I could convince you to have drinks with me when you are done?" Yeah, I'm a lush. Sue me.

"Twist this rubber arm of mine, baby girl," he replied with a happy grin. I could always count on him.

"What time are you done?"

"I gots to finish cleanin' the kitchen," he stated. "I's yours after that, hookah."

"Perfect," I replied. "Got any booze at your place?" It wasn't too late to make a run to the gas station cum liquor store out on the edge of town.

"Come on, Sooks," he replied with a 'what the fuck' look. "Who you talkin' to?"

"You're driving," I said, waving my newly delivered beer in salute. "I've started without you."

Lafayette gave me a measured look from under a fan of fake, red-tinted lashes. "That kind of night, is it?"

"You have no idea," I retorted with a short laugh. "Go finish up and I'll tell you all about it."

Three hours and one and a half bottles of Jamaican rum later, I had spilled the entire story to my best friend. He'd known parts of it, of course, but I let every dirty detail out of the bag tonight.

It was a cathartic experience for me.

We'd examined every angle, every word, every thought I ever had. It was a routine we'd settled into in high school with Tara. We had a system for examining problems with boys. Lafayette was in charge of list making, a task he took increasingly more serious after he smoked a joint. He'd passed it to me at one point and I took a tentative hit from it, passing it back quickly when I began to choke on the potent fumes. I'd never gotten into pot, even though Lala was a devoted fan of the bud. I figured I was getting high enough just from the thick layer of smoke hovering in the air.

"Ima thinkin' yous gotta talk to the man," he finally said, although slurred might be a better descriptor. "There's no other way. You's got to know if you can fix dat vamp, Sooks."

I nodded drunkenly, struggling to hold my head up at this point. We had looked at every side of the equation. I had no other choice. I couldn't walk away, no matter how damned mad I was with him. I sighed and laid my head on the coffee table.

I don't remember much more from the night. I woke up only a few hours later, tucked under a quilt on Lafayette's couch. I was still wearing my clothes from last night. Lafayette snored lightly in the next room.

I tried to close my eyes and drift back off to sleep, but it didn't work. My body protested mightily, but my mind was awake and already revving up to run in circles. At the very least, I was going to need caffeine to deal with it.

I put on a pot of coffee before I went to the bathroom to take care of business. I found a bottle of Tyelenol in the medicine cabinet and swallowed a couple with a handful of water before washing my face. My nose eventually led me back to the brewed coffee and I poured a cup as I said blessings for the caffeinated elixir.

The first sip was nearly a religious experience. My eyes closed and my mind cleared for a moment, allowing me to fully appreciate the gift coffee truly is. The sacred moment didn't last nearly long enough.

I sipped on my coffee as I recalled my drunken confessions from last night. A small amount of color returned to my face as I remembered telling him some of the incredible ways Eric made love to me. It was embarrassing in the harsh morning light. The pitiful sobbing which accompanied some of those confessions was even more humiliating. I was intensely grateful it was only Lala who'd seen me make such a fool of myself.

After fixing myself another cup, I went back into the living room and flopped onto the couch. After staring at them for a full two minutes or more, I caved and picked up the lists Lafayette had made. I held them in my hands for another minute as I sipped my coffee and pondered my situation.

I was still mad at Eric, for better or for worse. I couldn't turn my anger off that easily. I'd been deeply hurt by his actions; I would likely bear the scars of that moment forever.

But he didn't know any better. He didn't remember me; he didn't know there was someone he was supposed to be faithful to. Could I hold that against him? Would it be fair to blame him for doing what was in his nature to do?

I took another mouthful of coffee to stop myself from sighing yet again, like a maiden in distress. The realities were, though, that even if I decided he was worth another shot, he didn't want that. He'd been clearly willing to have sex with me, but he didn't want to get to know me.

I put down my coffee mug and turned my attention to the note papers I held in my hands. One was a list of pros and cons we'd made. Lafayette had made me tell him everything about Eric I'd loved, admired or respected in an effort to decide if he was worth my time at all. The things Lala had considered pertinent were listed on the second sheet.

The third piece of paper was clearly from later in the evening, judging by the scrawled handwriting and more colorful wording. It was a list of things Lala thought to be important to my decision. I scanned the list, alternately wanting to laugh and cry.

His opinion of Eric wasn't terribly high, judging by his underlined desire to strap him down and inject silver into his private areas. On the other hand, he was willing to overlook a whole hell of a lot simply because Eric was endowed with 'a gracious plenty'. He'd written the words in big capital letters and underlined the term three times. Three exclamation points finished his point.

His words about how happy I had been before all of this mess made me want to cry. Lala was the best friend ever, and it was obvious he loved me as much as I loved him. His drunken, slanted handwriting told me so. He wanted only the best for me.

What was the best for me, I wondered as I drained the remains of my coffee. Was it really the best idea to open myself up to the ultimate rejection? Or was it really best for me if I opened my heart and pursued what I really wanted. Whether he remembered it or not, he did love me. He loved me when he'd been cursed, and I was pretty sure he really did love me before that, too.

It would be best for me if that love could be salvaged. I could agree with that idea. It would take me time to let him fully in again, but I would be ultimately happy if I could be certain I would be loved that way again.

But how far was I willing to go to get Eric to want to know me? How many times was I willing to put myself on the line for that elusive love? It was almost a guarantee he would turn me away at least once. He didn't want to know me. Would I keep going back, keep getting turned away? How would that make him love me?

I stretched out on the couch again and let my eyes close as I thought of what to do. I opened them to find it was past two in the afternoon. I'd slept solidly for hours. There as a note from Lafayette on the coffee table telling me he was gone to work and my car was outside. Sam had brought it over – I was grateful he still had my spare keys – and had driven back to the bar with Lala.

All I wanted was my toothbrush. I hurried around the house, grabbing my things and hitting the road. The short drive home was spent fretting about what to do. I'd pretty much decided that I would try, at the very least, to see Eric and talk with him. But how would I go about it? Walking into the bar unannounced seemed to be the fastest route to rejection, but what was I supposed to do?

The light on the answering machine was blinking languidly when I walked through the door. I ignored it in favor of my toothbrush and a shower, a desperate need at this point. I eventually remembered the blinking light and made my way back to the kitchen. I pressed play on the old machine and waited for the tape to start rolling.

The tinny, automated voice told me there were five new messages. My eyebrows rose in surprise. I don't think I'd had that many messages ever, unless it had been Tara when we were kids.

The first three messages turned out to be hang-ups and I felt a strange sense of disappointment each time I heard the telltale click. The third message was a little more interesting, but still told me nothing. There were muted voices on the tape, but the message was completely illegible. I thought I heard a door slam before the call disconnected and the message ended.

The fifth beep was followed by an actual message, but you could have knocked me over with a feather when the identity of the caller was revealed.

"Miss Stackhouse." The familiar voice sent a shaft of pain into my heart. "This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak with you in person. I would have preferred not to leave a message, but it appears you are" a lengthy pause was heard, "out for the evening. I will be at Fangtasia tomorrow evening. I would appreciate it if you would stop by."

A beep signaled the end of the message. I sank weakly onto the tall stool Gran always kept beside the phone. Eric Northman wants to see me. I shook my head slowly.

I guess I'd found my reason to go to Fangtasia.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Let me know what you think - is it getting any easier for you all to read? There is a light at the end of the tunnel!<em>**

**_Thanks for reading!_**


	53. Advice from a Fairy

**_As always, I own nothing._**

* * *

><p>The soles of my sneakers made slapping sounds as my feet pounded the pavement, pushing myself home. My run took me ten miles through town and my thighs were grateful I was nearly home. They were burning with the effort, making me realize how lax I'd become about exercising. I was going to have to step it up again if I was going to keep myself in the fighting form I thought was best to maintain.<p>

I waved to the Were stationed at the end of my drive, even though I couldn't see him. He'd taken position behind the bramble and bushes, but I knew he was there. I wasn't happy about still having guards, but I wasn't stupid, either. Until the situation with Appius was resolved, I might need all the help I could get. I didn't know if Godric had tracked him down, but I assumed since the vampires hadn't called off the wolves, there was still danger afoot.

My hangover had dissipated to the point I was starting to feel hungry, even though my appetite still wasn't huge. I was just finishing my tuna sandwich when the doorbell rang, startling me. I opened my mind fully and listened for the brain outside. Claudine. I would recognize her brain anywhere, even though I couldn't really read her thoughts. It seemed fairy minds were shielded naturally. I could only hear Claudine if she wanted me to.

"Hello, Sookie," she greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hi Claudine," I replied happily as I stepped back to give her room to enter. I was happy to see her, today of all days. Her presence was naturally soothing. She'd explained it was Fae nature to take comfort and strength from other fairies. "Come on in."

I got us both a diet Coke before moving to the comfort of the living room.

"What's up?" I asked after we were settled. "It's good to see you."

"I wanted to check on you. I also need to apologize for not being here before this. I popped back to my parent's home in the realm. I wanted to retrieve some books to study, but I was out of touch until now." Her green eyes filled with sympathy as she looked at me. "How are you doing?"

"You know what happened?" I'm still really unclear how Claudine's 'watching over me' occurred. To be honest, I really didn't want to know.

"Enough," she replied vaguely. "I felt your pain."

"I'm sorry," I offered. I really needed to learn more about this fairy godmother stuff. Were her words literal, or metaphorical?

"Don't be, please," she looked upon me kindly. "It is not how you think. I am happy to see you are doing a bit better."

"Day by day, right?" I laughed shakily. "Some new information came to light yesterday and it's helped me put some things into better perspective." I took a deep breath and carried on. "Pam came to see me and explained Eric's memories didn't all come back as expected. He remembers nothing of me, Claudine. He can't even feel our bond anymore."

Claudine raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be." I knew guys came up with some whopping lies to cover up cheating, but this would be a doozy on any scale.

"Have you spoken with him?"

"Not yet." My stomach flipped, giving me an uncomfortable reminder of the sandwich I'd eaten. "I'm thinking of going to see him tonight."

"What happened between you? I only know you are no longer together." Her lips tightened as she looked at me. She seemed to be taking the news kind of hard.

"I went to meet him at Fangtasia the evening after the curse was broken. I walked in on him with a fangbanger." Tears threatened as they always did when I thought of that moment, but I resolutely blinked them away. "I left town the next evening and I haven't seen him since. Up until last night, I thought I would never see him again. He told Pam he doesn't want to remember me, Claudine."

"Oh, Sookie," she moved to sit next to me on the couch. Her arms wrapped around me and held me tight. "I would take away your pain if I could."

I hugged her back for a moment. "I know you would, but don't worry too much about me. I'll be alright."

"I hope so," Claudine's eyes appeared troubled as she looked at me. "With the bond between you, it would be difficult to live apart."

"I went to Puerto Rico, Claudine. I felt nothing strange."

"Not to be corny, Sookie, but the bond works in mysterious ways. It could have felt you needed the separation, or it could have been influencing you the entire time. You might have missed the signs." She looked me directly in the eye. "Don't underestimate its power, Sookie. I should have some more information for you shortly. The texts I brought back from the Realm will hopefully shed more light on this situation you find yourself in."

I nodded my appreciation. I wanted to know what I was facing if Eric and I never reconciled.

"How did they break the spell on the vampire?" Claudine asked.

"Octavia found her spellbook and located the spell fairly easily. Once she determined it was safe, it was reversed."

"What was the point of it?" she asked curiously.

"We still don't know why Hallow cursed him – or I don't, anyway – but she worded the spell so he would be near his heart's desire and not know it. We assumed that was me, but now I don't know."

Claudine looked at me with a contemplative look. "Perhaps the reversal triggered the true spell. The first spell may have been a smokescreen."

I gave her a look. "What do you mean?"

"You still don't know why he was cursed, so you can make two assumptions about the memory loss. Which one was intended, and which one was a side effect? It seems to me you and Eric reunited quickly when he lost his memories. Despite the curse, he was still with his heart's desire."

I nodded slowly. I was pretty sure I saw what she meant.

"I find it a strange coincidence that he should be left without only his memories of you, considering the wording of the spell. It makes me wonder if he isn't still cursed." Claudine's brows drew together as she spoke. "It's perhaps a more likely scenario. The first curse could have been to throw you off – Eric is 'cured' so all is well. The true curse could just be working now, considering how he can't remember you – his heart's desire – anymore, even though he has been 'near' you."

The idea she floated was one I never would have considered. I'd bet good money the vamps hadn't thought of it either. I couldn't deny it made sense, even if I couldn't figure why anyone would be so diabolical.

"Supposing you're right," I spoke slowly, allowing my words to form before I spoke them, "It seems like a hell of a lot of trouble to go through to separate Eric from me. Who would benefit?"

"I don't know, Sookie. I'm just thinking out loud. It may be nothing, but I would mention it to your vampire, if I were you."

I shook my head doubtfully. "Maybe Pam, but I'm not even mentioning it to Eric. He's already made it clear he doesn't want to regain his memories."

"Please remember it could still be the spell talking. Until you know for sure, don't rule anything out." There was an urgency to her tone that made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. "When it comes to your protection, Sookie, no one can protect you like the Northman. Unbelievable forces have brought you together. It shouldn't be squandered lightly."

"Hey! I'm not the one doing the squandering," I replied with a flurry of indignation.

"I know, but it seems like you are the only one with full possession of your faculties," she retorted sharply. "I'm sorry it all falls to you, Sookie, but until he regains his memories, it will be up to you to make things right."

"Why is it so important to make it right? What if I want to walk away?" I was being dramatic, but her attitude puzzled me.

She leveled a calm gaze on me. "No one will stop you, if that is truly your desire. But I think it would be best for everyone if you and our Viking were happy again. I can't help but feel the pair of you have a higher purpose, cousin. Too many stars have aligned so you could be together."

I mulled over her words for a few minutes. I couldn't deny she had a point, but it didn't mean I had to like it. As for a higher purpose, I wouldn't have a clue, and quite frankly, I didn't care. If I put myself out there to win Eric back, it would be because I loved him, not because we might have some undefined purpose.

"I'm going to see him tonight, but I doubt he will change his mind about me – about us – that quickly." My nerves were starting to jangle at the thought of seeing him again. "I don't even know what to say to him."

"I wish I had some great advice to give you, but the best I can offer is be yourself. He fell in love with you twice already, Sookie. The third time's the charm," she finished with a wink.

The thought warmed me a little. It was true, or I hoped it was true, that both Eric's had fallen in love with me, with and without memories. According to Pam, this Eric was like he was before he met me, so it shouldn't be that difficult, right?

"I was really going to walk away, you know," I offered almost as a casual aside. "Before I knew his about his memory loss, I was done with Eric Northman. Despite how much I loved him, I wasn't going to allow myself to be treated like that."

"I think it's worth the effort, Sookie. I wouldn't encourage you if I didn't."

"I know. I'm just saying." I paused for a moment. "I'm glad you came to see me."

"Me, too." My fairy godmother smiled warmly. "Maybe it's a good thing I didn't get here until now. Who knows what I would have advised you to do had we not known about his memory loss!"

We both laughed for a minute. "I sort of threatened to blow him into a million pieces," I laughed, before sobering slightly, "although now I know he didn't have a clue who I was, or that I could blow him into a million pieces, it sort of loses its impact, I suppose."

"Perhaps, but it's intent that matters, my sweet child," Claudine's tinkling laughter rang through the room.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it, I don't think." Even as angry as I was, I didn't think I had it in me to explode another person.

"I don't think the bond would have allowed you to hurt him," Claudine replied.

A thought occurred to me and I looked at Claudine with a small frown. "Do you happen to know a fairy by the name of Preston Pardloe?"

Claudine frowned back. "I know of a couple of Pardloe families, but I can't place a Preston. Why do you ask?"

"I met him in San Juan. He was staying at the same hotel as me. He was pushy, in a weird way."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he came up to me on the beach and starting asking me questions. I declined every invitation he put out there and got out of there fast. What was creepy is that he found out my room number somehow and came to my door." There was something about him that set my nerves on edge. "I had to say no multiple times before he finally left."

"No, but I will ask Niall right away. It might be nothing but a weird coincidence, but we must be careful. There are enemies of Niall who might become interested in you."

"I gave him a fake name. He didn't seem suspicious of it."

"That's good, but we'll still find out who he is. Better safe than sorry, I think."

I agreed. I was learning to trust my instincts, or at least I hoped I was. My instincts told me he was bad news.

We talked for another hour or more, mostly about my progress training. She was amazed when I told her I teleported and assured me that even if I didn't have a clue how I did it, I would indeed be able to do it again. We went outside and I demonstrated a few tricks, while Claudine gave me some pointers on trying to teleport. She felt it was safest for me to practice outdoors and only try to teleport to a point I could see with my eyes. Only when I was comfortable doing that should I attempt to pop to a point I visualized in my head. It made sense to me. I didn't want to end up stuck in a wall somehow. Claudine confirmed it was a very real possibility, although a rare occurrence.

She thoughtfully left at about sunset, giving me plenty of time to get ready for my visit with Eric.

I wasn't time I worried about. It was my heart I feared for.

* * *

><p>"Did you not tell me to deal with her myself?" I asked with an icy look. The conversation was becoming tiresome.<p>

"Yes, I did." Pam looked at me through narrowed eyes. "But I want you to tell me why she's coming here."

"You can't have it both ways, child," I replied mildly.

"Jesus!" Her exasperation showed in her stance. "I don't want her hurt, Eric. You might not want to hear this, but if I let you hurt her, you would never forgive me if your memories come back."

Her words rankled me, but not for obvious reasons. I wasn't concerned about a hypothetical future. It was the unsettling notion I might hurt her, even if it was not my intention. I don't know why it mattered to me. I really didn't care about this girl the way they expected me to.

Even after giving the matter some serious second thought, I still had come to the same conclusion. Involving myself with her, and her dangerous curves, was detrimental to my survival and well-being. No matter how good the sex, or how tasty the blood, survival was my number one concern. I was still mildly concerned about the deception we'd staged for the Queen. While I wasn't necessarily worried about Sophie-Ann, it was still bad form to blatantly deceive her. It might still come back to bite me in the ass. It was more evidence the girl was simply too much trouble.

That is not to say, of course, that I wasn't hopeful she might still be amenable to a physical relationship. I didn't need to remember the sex to know it must have been good, and there hadn't been a woman yet – except Pam - who'd said no to more. I knew Pam, and even Godric, were disapproving of my intentions towards her, but I didn't care. It is my life and I will do with it as I see fit.

It was for that reason more than any other that I decided to finally make contact with her. I wasn't sure if she was screening her calls, or if she was truly out for the whole night, but she didn't answer the multiple calls I placed to her phone. I wondered if she'd found another lover, an idea I found I didn't care for. She had been on my mind more often than I care to think of, but for wholly unexpected reasons. Even though I'd switched to brunettes and avoided anyone with a body type like hers, I found, much to my discomfort and chagrin, the release I sought came only with her image fixed in my brain.

I wondered if that would change once I'd had her before wondering if it could possibly make it worse. Suffice it to say, my feelings towards Ms. Stackhouse were ambivalent, at best. I was looking forward to seeing her, however, if only to find out what made her special enough to have vampires concerned for her well-being. Pam caring about someone's feelings was a one-off event. She'd never given a flying fuck about anyone before. I was naturally curious.

My maker was an entirely different story. I'd seen him care for others before, even humans. His actions often baffled me, but I had seen him show compassion and empathy. Even so, his reaction to the situation with the Stackhouse girl was unusual. He was very attached to her, especially considering their short acquaintance.

He'd talked to me for hours and hours about my past, and her involvement in it. Or, at the very least, her doppelganger's appearance in my life. He painstakingly outlined each time my life had been interrupted, telling me stories of my own life. It was frustrating not to remember, but I couldn't help but be relieved not to remember the wretched entanglement I'd had with her.

I got the distinct impression he was disappointed in me, even though he didn't say it, or give any outward sign. I also got the distinct impression there was something he wasn't telling me. Again, it was only an impression, with no concrete evidence to suggest he was prevaricating. He answered every one of my questions without evasion, but I wondered if there were perhaps questions I didn't think to ask; questions which might have netted me answers to my doubts.

"Your objection is duly noted," I tell Pam dryly. "You have my oath I will not hold you responsible for my actions. Does that make you feel any better?"

"Not really," my progeny replied. Complete disbelief was written on her face. When she didn't clarify her position, I prompted, "Speak."

She eyed me doubtfully for a long moment. "Eric," she began, "if you fuck this up – as I know you are more than capable of doing – it won't matter if you don't blame me. If you lose her, if you lose her before you remember her, it will destroy both of you. Assigning guilt won't matter by that point."

Her eyes were so troubled; I found it difficult to maintain nonchalant eye contact, but I managed. She was sincere. It was obvious, as was her deep-rooted concern for me. Again, I wondered what made this girl so special.

"I'll be at the front door if you need me," she spoke stiffly before walking out. The door closed softly behind her, but my eyes remained trained on it as I once more considered the problem at hand. Every instinct told me I was in as deep as I needed to be, but the constant pressure to remember her - to love her, for fuck's sake - was wearing on me.

I turned my attention to the paperwork piled on my desk. I realized I should have at the very least fed before the girl everyone was in love with showed up. Fucking some of the tension from my system wouldn't have been a bad idea, either, but I didn't risk it. She could show up anytime, and I didn't want to offend her immediately. I'd be better prepared to deal with her if I looked after my needs, but I also knew I'd likely be fucking her out of my system when she left.

Either way, I'd be fucked. I smiled grimly as I realized it was an apt metaphor for my life right now. If I carried on as I wanted to, I was fucked with Pam and Godric – even Thalia, the vicious vampire warrior that she was, actually fucking inquired about the girl. If I caved to the pressure they were exerting and tried to re-create whatever magical fucking love they thought they saw, then I was fucking myself out of one more level of security. I would be putting my life on the line to be with her.

I'd be truly fucked before I do that.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading! I'd love to know how you think it's going.<strong> _


	54. The One Where it all Just Goes to Hell

"Are you sure you are ready for this?"

Sitting in Pam's small but tastefully decorated office, I nodded my head slowly to her blunt question. Thankfully, Eric's progeny was on the door when I arrived at Fangtasia and waved me in immediately. I had been torn between standing in the line-up and going to the door. I was very afraid of getting to the door only to be told to join the queue; the line-up was starting to win out when Pam spotted me. She'd ushered me directly to her office.

"I think so," I replied. "I hope so."

"I don't know why he asked you here," Pam stated coolly. "He refused to tell me."

"I guess it really doesn't matter. I'll find out soon enough." I swallowed before looking her in the eyes. "I do have a favor to ask."

"What can I do for you?"

"Would you mind terribly if I met with Eric here, in your office?" I glanced away before turning my attention back to her. "It's just – that office – I don't know if I could go in there."

"Of course," she quickly confirmed. I think she was happy to be able to anything for me. "I will bring him to you when you are ready."

"No point putting it off anymore." I would rather have stuck needles through my eyeballs, but I knew I had to get this over with. "Give me a couple of minutes, and then tell him I'm waiting, will you?"

As she exited the office, I did something I'd been avoiding doing. Very carefully and cautiously, I checked the bond. I'd been avoiding it for days now, keeping it all but closed off in my head. The last time I had been weak enough to check in on him, I'd been utterly crushed by the lust I'd felt pulsing through his blood. He was clearly with another fangbanger. I tried to console myself with the idea it was only lust and none of the other feelings I always picked up from him when we'd made love. It didn't help much at all and I never checked the bond again.

I opened it now only because I'd been assured he could not feel me through the blood magic we shared. I intended to keep it open during our meeting. I hoped to at least get some insight into how he felt, even as I worried whether it might backfire on me.

I moved into the other chair so I could easily watch the door. I laid my purse and coat on the one I'd vacated. I didn't think he would try to sit next to me, but I was taking no chances. I calmed my heartbeat as best I could and counted to ten in my head. I could feel him getting closer. The door opened on eight and Eric walked in on the count of ten.

It was the blasted count of nine which destroyed all my preparation and rationality. Nestled snugly between the eight and the ten, the nine gave me an opportunity to not think, but just feel. I felt every cell of my body come alive when I knew he was right there, hidden barely out of sight by the wooden door.

The nine gave my heart time to swell with love; a love which was difficult to tamp down when the count of ten sounded in my head and the object of my currently unrequited love walked through the door. My eyes opened wide as I looked at him.

He didn't look particularly good. Oh, he was handsome as always, his beautiful face flawless. His clothing was simple, his normal fitted jeans and t-shirt, paired with black Blundstone's on his long feet, but he looked as sexy as always. It was more the tightness around his eyes, the paleness of his skin. His blue eyes blazed as he looked me over and I couldn't help my body's instinctual reaction.

My body may have wanted one thing, but my mind was still pissed off with him and my heart was still torn to shreds. It didn't take long for my treacherous hormones to back down in the face of my angry, wounded self.

"Eric," I greeted curtly. I nodded my head awkwardly.

"Sookie," he nodded back, but then paused. He looked unsure how to begin. I wasn't going to help him any. "Thank you for coming tonight."

"It was pretty short notice," I pointed out in a friendly tone. I was proud my voice remained even and calm. "But you are welcome."

The silence lengthened as Eric took a seat in Pam's chair. It was really too small for a man of his size. Any other point in time, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it, but I wasn't in the mood right now.

"Are you going to tell me what you want?" I asked when he did nothing but sit and stare at me. The bond told me nothing useful. He was attracted to me, I was sure, but beyond that there were so many swirling, conflicting, colliding emotions raging through him. I dialed up the hold I had on the bond. He was starting to overwhelm me and we were only just beginning.

"There are matters we need to discuss," he finally replied in a husky voice. I wondered if he, too, was becoming overwhelmed by the maelstrom going on inside him. He'd once told me how he didn't like having feelings. He was chin deep in them now.

"I'm sure there are," I replied pleasantly. It was my current game plan – remain calm, cool, collected and business-like at all costs. "What would you like to discuss first?"

His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. I'm sure he was expecting me to be angry and difficult. I took a small amount of perverse pleasure in knowing I was throwing him off.

"Your contract, for starters," he replied coolly. "We need to discuss the terms of your employment."

"Fine." I stared at him, waiting for him to continue. It was starting to feel like pulling teeth.

"Your contract is rather open ended pertaining to regular duties," he began. "There are no hours of employment detailed."

"We agreed, as did Mr. Cataliades, that it would be best to maintain a per-assignment schedule. If there is something you need me to do, you can give me the particulars, and the required notice period, and I will let you know if it is something I would do."

You know how people talk about having Kodak moments? This was one for me. The look on Eric's face was priceless, so incredulous. He looked like I had spoken in Swahili or something. It deserved to be captured on film. I wished I had a camera, and then thought better as I pictured this Eric's reaction.

"The wording of this contract favors you in almost every conceivable way," he remarked almost casually, even though I could feel the burning curiosity in his very veins. Did he know I could still feel him? I wondered idly. He couldn't feel it at all, which suggested he couldn't control his end, either.

"Yes, it does." I smiled briefly as the memory engulfed me. Another Eric, one who loved me, had remarked how wickedly inventive the final contract was in protecting me from every angle. He'd said Mr. Cataliades was a genius.

"Would you care to explain why I would sign a contract which keeps one of Area Five's most valuable assets mostly inaccessible?" I noticed he referred to me as an Area asset. It stung.

"You wanted to make sure I was as safe and protected as possible," I answered honestly. I kept my chin up and my head held high. "This contract does that, as best it can. Obviously, any work for the Queen would be considered a priority request. I trust I can still assume you are going to hold up your end of the contract when it comes to my safety?"

His wide shoulders twitched almost imperceptibly. He remained still and quiet for a moment before he answered. I think he may have been offended by my questioning his word.

"Your safety remains a paramount concern," he eventually stated. He still looked pissed off. "I will abide by the terms of your contact."

"Since that's settled, is there anything else?" I made a production of checking the time on my small gold watch. It had been Gran's watch, one she'd rarely worn, but had loved.

"I don't think it is quite settled. Would you be open to renegotiating terms?"

"I don't know what you have in mind, but I see no reason to alter it," I shrugged. I trusted Mr. Cataliades. I wasn't so sure I could trust this Eric.

"Pam tells me the intention was for you to work here a couple of evenings a week." His expression was inscrutable.

"It was something we'd spoken of," I admitted softly. "But it is not something I would be interested in anymore."

"Why not?" He questioned with a frown. "It seems an ideal use of your talents. Having you read the customers and human staff regularly would be useful."

"I am sure it would be," I remarked dryly. His pragmatic vampire side was emerging strongly. "I would consider reading the staff for you, and the customers occasionally, but I am not interested in making Fangtasia a regular part of my routine."

He stared at me for a couple of long, uncomfortable minutes. I refused to break the silence, nor did I break contact with his steely, determined gaze. I was not going to let him see me cower in any way. If I had any intention of one day reconciling with this vampire – and that was still up in the air at the moment – I was going to have to show him I was worth the effort.

"Because of me, correct?" His question was spoken shortly, but held a slippery, treacherous mountain of truth behind those few words.

"Yes." I chose not to elaborate. The question was simply too open-ended to answer concisely and not get bogged down with emotion. If he wanted specifics, he could damn well work for them.

"This situation is filled with landmines, isn't it?" he asked eventually, his words soft enough to possibly be meant for his ears only. It wasn't my fault his blood made it possible for me to hear them. I didn't respond either way and waited for him to continue. "The history we had does not need to interfere with a working relationship. I can stay out of your way while you work."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. The entire situation was ludicrous. All I could do was sit and laugh at the vampire before me. It was weird. He felt like a virtual stranger to me.

"It's not as simple as that. 'The history we had', as you say, does indeed play a role in my decision. Whether you remember it or not, we loved each other," I spoke proudly, but defiantly. "That may not matter to you, but it does to me. I'd have to be a masochistic fool to want to watch you move on without me night after night."

I said my piece and quieted myself again. If I said anymore, who knew what might come pouring out. I watched him carefully, though. His eyes were trained on the wall as he thought, presumably about what I'd meant. This was so much harder than I thought it would be.

"What you walked in on was unfortunate," he stupidly began with, "but it's not likely that situation will occur again."

"You really aren't thinking on your feet tonight, are you?" I muttered, earning me a cross glare from the vampire. "I'm a telepath. I see everything."

His surprise registered in his eyes as the widened at my words. I guess it wasn't something he'd bothered to think about. If I had my shields down to read the crowd, I would inevitably pick up far more than I cared to see or hear from his current and past conquests. The pain of knowing he was having sex with other women was nearly crippling. Knowing the specifics would be enough to drive me over the edge.

"I apologize," he said stiffly. "I did not think."

"Well, now you know. Any plans for me to spend that much time here were based on the idea it would give you and I more time together. That's not going to happen, so I see no reason to spend all my time here."

"Pam tells me you have quit your job. Were you relying on this one for an income?"

I laughed again. I was so incredibly relieved to be able to answer that one honestly. "No. My finances are fine."

He gave me a puzzled look. We never got around to telling Pam about my inheritance. Since she didn't know, it wasn't something she could have told him about me now.

"Is there anything else you needed to discuss?" He was just staring off into space again. This Eric was different from the others I'd known.

"Where were you last night?"

His question took me off guard. I didn't think he'd care, if truth were told. "I was out," I replied simply.

"That much I know," he retorted sharply. "What I asked was where you were."

"Out, like I said. With friends." My eyes narrowed as I looked at him. "Why do you care?"

His eyes met mine again. "You are an asset. Need I remind you that my Queen believes you are mine? If I need you, I need to be able to find you."

"As soon as I get a new cell phone, I will make sure you have the number." I got angry one night and my phone had an unfortunate accident. If you could call being thrown full force at a stone fireplace an accident, that is.

"What happened to your phone?"

"That is none of your business, just like where I was and what I do is your business. You have given up your right to know anything about me." I held my chin high and took a deep, steadying breath. I didn't want to fall apart now. "I will replace the phone tomorrow and forward you the number."

"Make sure you do," he replied somewhat irritably. I was irrationally pleased to be getting under his skin.

"Is there anything else?" I asked. Reaching out, I picked up my purse and held it expectantly as I looked at him. It was pretty clear I was done and wanting to leave.

"Pam is arranging to get the employees together. I would like you to read them and make sure we have nothing to worry about. Eventually we will arrange for the same with all of my businesses."

"Fine. I will set something up with Pam." I waited to see if he would say anything else, but when he remained silent, I stood and retrieved my coat from the chair. Folding it over one arm, I looked at the vampire I still thought I might love. "If that's all, it's getting late for me. I need to get home." I was still feeling the effects of the liquor from the night before. My hangover was still hanging around, it seemed.

"You wish to deal with Pam?" He sounded surprised.

"I would rather deal with Pam," I confirmed. "It would be easier for everyone. She's my friend."

"Yes, my child appears to be quite…fond of you." I smiled. I was fond of her, too. It was an unlikely friendship we were building, but it seemed to work for us.

I shrugged at him. I wasn't going to explain my relationship with her, Like so many other things, it wasn't his business anymore. "Like I said, we're friends."

"And my maker?"

"Godric? What about him?"

"He is also attached to you."

"Your point?" I asked tartly. I didn't understand what he was getting at.

"It's a curious situation to have so many vampires enamored of a human," he stated. "Even one with Fae blood."

"Then I guess I'm just lucky," I replied.

"Lucky?" He snorted. "You're lucky none ever drained you."

I could only gape at him. "How dare you! Pam and Godric are my friends. Neither has asked for, nor received my blood. You're the only one who ever drank from me."

"Then you're lucky I didn't drain you," he all but growled back at me. Before I could blink, Eric moved at vampire speed to stand before me. A strangely unsettled look floated around his blue eyes. I thought randomly about how I always loved the color of his eyes. My attention snapped to when he leaned menacingly over me. "Maybe I should bite you know and end it all. I would never have to think of you again. Thinking of you is an annoying habit, and one I want to be rid of."

My heart was near to thudding straight out of my chest. I stood motionlessly, letting him work through whatever the hell was in his head. It's not like I had a choice. Running from a vampire is never a good idea. As I mulled my scant options, I was aware of the distant part of my brain registering the fact that he thought of me. He might be annoyed by it, but he still thought about me enough to call it a habit.

"Or maybe I should just fuck you and find out for myself what's so special about you. We've fucked before, haven't we?"

He was out of his mind, but then again, so was I. It's the only explanation I can give for goading him the way I did.

"Eric," I said, "we had sex in every position I could imagine, and some I couldn't. We had sex in every room in the house, and we had sex outdoors. You said it was the best you've ever had. Too bad you can't remember it," I concluded with a modest smile.

Eric looked like I'd hit him in the forehead with a mallet. For all of thirty seconds his reaction was completely gratifying.

Then it all just went to hell.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Fans of the series will recognize that last scene from the books, twisted just enough to fit here.<em>**

**_Hope you liked it!_**


	55. One Pissed Off Fairy

**_Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review! I'm sorry I've been so terrible about responding to you all, but it's the season to blame. I promise to be better about it, I swear!_**

**_I will also warn you all now that my posting schedule for the rest of the month might be hit and miss, but I promise to get at least one chapter a week to you, for this story, at least._**

**_Thanks again to Weewoman1 for being so kind as to review this chapter before I post!_**

* * *

><p>Did she really just fucking say that? My cock believed she did, and was in apparent agreement, if the blood rushing to stiffen it was any indication. She was the best I'd ever had? I couldn't help but think back on some of the amazing sex I'd experienced in my lifetime. There had been many women who'd pleased me greatly; a few even taught me some new tricks.<p>

As beautiful and sexy as she is, could this tiny girl really have been the best sex of my life? According to my maker and child, I had been her one and only lover. I found it difficult to comprehend how such an inexperienced innocent could have provided the kind of pleasure necessary to obtain top-ranking in my millennia of sexual experience.

Even though she'd been bold as brass in making her announcement, a blush still stained her cheeks. A low growl emanated from my chest as I watched the blood flirting with her cheekbones. The innocent sensuality she exuded was enough, combined with her words, to make me lose my fucking mind.

My head lowered until my face was hovering against the smooth skin of her neck. There was something about her scent which called to me, pulled at a place deep inside me. Her heart was racing; the sound of rushing blood tempted me strongly. A small movement had her feet taking her back millimeters.

"Don't move," I growled against her throat. The urge to bury both cock and fangs into her was overwhelming; all my concentration was required to maintain control.

"Snap out of i!" Most humans would be terrified by now but her voice was irritatingly strong. I was unwillingly impressed. "I mean it, Eric. I am not in the mood for this tonight."

Unfortunately for her, and yet fortunately for me, her words did nothing more than stir my inflamed senses even further. Her perhaps unintended implication that she might be in the mood some other time stiffened my cock even further. If she could excite me this much with mere words and imagined innuendo, perhaps the sex had been note-worthy. I still doubted the legitimacy of her being the best, but I was willing to concede it may have been good.

"I swear to God, Eric Northman," she spat in a low, controlled tone, "if you don't back off right now, I'm going to do something we will probably both regret."

I heard her words, of course. I even spared some brain power to wondering what she meant. But I couldn't tear myself away from her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she said in an angry, yet resigned tone. I lifted my head to look down as I felt her finger jab hard against my chest. There was a furious fire burning in her eyes when my eyes met hers. Perversely, it only excited me more. A lazy grin pulled the corners of my lips upward as I took in the spitfire staring me down.

"What are you going to do, sweetheart?" My grin grew wider as her anger increased exponentially. She was more spirited than I was expecting.

"I am not your sweetheart," she ground out from between clenched teeth. "Now for the last fucking time, step back or I will show you what I'm going to do."

I reached out and tapped her cheek with my index finger. "Don't you know you shouldn't challenge a vampire?"

"Don't you know you shouldn't piss off a fairy?" she hissed back before jabbing her finger against me again. A blinding light filled the room just as I felt an enormous pressure building against my chest. My mind didn't have time to process what was happening before I felt myself being pushed backwards until I crumpled against the wall. The last thing I heard before the lights went out was Sookie's horrified cry. The white light faded to black as I lost consciousness.

"He's going to kill me when he wakes up, Pam!" My mind slowly came back into focus, even as my body remained paralyzed.

"No, he won't," came my child's voice. "He might be very angry, but he won't kill you."

"He threatened to drain me once tonight already! He's not the same anymore, Pam. He doesn't love me – he is going to want me dead after this!"

"Then you shouldn't have gone all fairy on him," Pam pointed out reasonably. Her regard for the girl didn't still her pragmatism.

"I didn't think it would do much to him. I just wanted him to back off and he wouldn't!" Her voice was frantic. I didn't blame her. If it were anyone else, I would drain them the moment I regained use of my body. But I couldn't, even if I wanted to. I had to think practically about this. Killing her would win me no favors with any of the vampires in my life, including the Queen.

"You could have killed him, Sookie," Pam scolded her gently. "You don't have enough control to use your powers like that."

"Claudine told me I probably couldn't really hurt him even if I tried because of the blasted fairy bond. I really didn't mean to hurt him. You believe me, don't you?" For reasons I couldn't fathom, I was mildly attracted to the pleading note in her voice.

"I know you would never intentionally harm him." Pam was firm in her belief, more than I was at the moment. The little fairy had been angry as a wet cat when she'd unleashed her power on me.

"Whatever I did to him dimmed his light, Pam. What do you think that means?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean? What light?" Pam asked in reply.

"I know you couldn't see it, but remember Eric asked you if you saw anything different about either of us when we were going to New Orleans? After we shared blood the second time, both of us began to glow, even though we seemed to be the only ones able to see it." This was news to me. I hadn't noticed a light about either of us. She glowed with health and vitality, and I had my usual vampiric glow, but nothing else was noticeable.

"You say it has dimmed?" Pam's voice held a note of curiosity. "Perhaps it's only because he is unconscious."

"Maybe. I don't know why we glowed, so how can I guess why he's not as bright?"

"We will have to wait until he wakes to find out," my child reasonably stated.

"I should leave. Give him some time to calm down before I explain myself." She was panicking again. I tried harder to marshal my strength and regain use of my body. She wasn't going anywhere.

"No. You need to stay here. You cannot run from him, Sookie. It would only make it worse." My child offered sage advice. Running from a dangerous predator was never a good idea.

"God, I wish he'd wake up," she sighed. I was starting to come around even more. I could hear the soft movements of her feet against the floor as she paced.

"He will soon."

A sharp intake of breath reached my ears and the slight noises her movements made ceased entirely.

"What's wrong?" Pam asked.

"He's waking," she whispered. I was coming around, but how did she know?

"How do you know?" Pam asked the question bouncing in my head.

"I can feel him," she answered. I cursed as her meaning became clear. The bond I assumed dead was only dormant on my part. The fairy could still fucking feel me.

"Really?" Pam's voice revealed her surprise. "Even I cannot tell he is waking."

"Well, I can," the fairy girl hissed in a low whisper. I could hear her heartbeat increase, faster than it had beaten earlier. She was afraid. Even though she'd shown no fear before, I could smell it now marring her delicious scent. "Maybe I should just wait in the bar?"

"You are going nowhere," I rasped out moments before I opened my eyes. I met Pam's worried eyes, nodding as I did to indicate I was going to be fine. I could feel the strength flowing back into my body. A quick calculation told me I had enough reserves to stand up on my own.

"Eric, I'm so sorry –" she began before I cut her off with a glare. I looked at Pam. "Leave us."

"I'm not sure that's a great idea," Pam replied in a slow, even tone. Sookie was shaking her head anxiously. "Why don't we all just sit and talk for a minute?"

"Yes, let's discuss how the fairy blasted me into unconsciousness," I mocked. "Want to start with why you didn't tell me she was capable of this?"

"Pam didn't know how much I'd been practising," Sookie interjected remorsefully. "Don't blame her."

"Do you hear that, Pam? I shouldn't blame you." There was ice in my eyes when I re-issued my command. "Leave us."

With an apologetic glance at the fairy, she obeyed without question this time, closing the door behind her. I perched against the edge of Pam's dainty desk, my legs stretched out before me. Sookie stood motionless in the center of the room. Her eyes were trained on the floor, but I could sense the majority of her fear had dissipated. Likely when I didn't kill her immediately on waking, I mused.

"I'm not going to kill you," I stated after a few moments had passed. Her head jerked up and wide blue eyes met mine. I was again struck by the similarities in our hair and eyes.

"You're not?" she squeaked out.

"No. As long as you promise never to do that again, that is."

"I promise I won't. I swear to you, I never meant to hurt you." Her words were fervent, but somewhat dampened by her follow-up. "But you have to promise not to do what you were doing, too."

While I could intellectually admit my fault in what happened, I wasn't about to tell her. "No, I will not promise you that. I don't make promises I don't know I can keep," I stated instead.

"Eric!" Exasperation colored her tone and added a sparkle to her eyes. It was interesting how quickly she forgot her fear. I was starting to understand what drew the admiration of the vampires in her life. At some point, those numbers included me, I realized. I had fallen for her charms before.

Twice, actually.

"Yes?"

"You can't have things both ways, Eric! You can't expect me to promise not to defend myself when you won't promise not to try to harm me."

"I have no intention of harming you," I replied coolly. "I will promise you that."

"And I should just believe that? You threatened to drain me, for God's sake!"

Would I have drained her? I shook my head and focused on the blonde beauty who'd just zapped my ass with fairy magic. "I will not hurt you," I repeated. I tried to infuse my voice with more gentleness, but her skeptical gaze made me doubt my success.

"Then I will not hurt you," she replied slowly.

"We have a deal, then. We will not hurt one another." Our eyes met and held for a couple of seconds. "So the threat to blow me into a million pieces? A real possibility?"

Her eyes narrowed and I realized my mistake immediately. It was too late to backpedal, so I fixed an impassive expression and waited her anger out.

"I don't know," she finally admitted with a huff. "I can blow boulders into a million bits, though."

"Then I thank you for the restraint you showed tonight," I said with a smile. She was more than I was expecting her to be, despite having talked about her for unending, resentment-filled hours with Pam and Godric.

"You're welcome. I am sorry. I was only trying to jolt you enough to make you snap out of it," she said. Her control and restraint were sliding back into place.

"I know. I heard you tell Pam."

"You heard that?" She sounded shocked. "But that was before you woke."

"My mind was alert enough to hear you, but my body was still frozen," I explained. "You can still feel my blood within you?"

"Yes," she whispered before looking away. A blush stained her cheeks a delicate pink. "The bond is as strong as always for me."

"And how strong is that?" I frowned. We'd only exchanged twice, not enough for her to have any real sense of me, or so I thought. The Fae tie was an unknown variable, however. Put her fairy spark on top of the pile, and all bets were off the table. My frown deepened as I considered the possibilities.

She sighed and looked at her feet again. It was a little while before she lifted her head, pushing her heavy golden hair out of her way. She looked painfully resigned.

"I don't know if I can describe how I feel it, but it was you who told me our connection was unusually strong. You said my control over our tie was stronger than yours. We thought it might have been because of my fairy spark, but we didn't know for sure."

"You had more control of the tie?" How did I let this woman have control over me? It was against every single instinct I had. It was one of the reasons I'd never initiated a blood bond before.

"That's what you said. I was playing around with the bond one day and we discovered I could call you. You said it felt similar to a makers call. Even though you tried to do the same, it didn't work." She paused and stared at me with unknown emotion brimming in the deep blue pools. "You said you were reassured knowing I could call you if there was danger."

I wouldn't be able to feel her now. With the bond gone on my side, I would be ignorant to any danger she faced. For a brief, irrational moment, I wondered if the bond would be re-activated if I gave her just the smallest drop of my blood. Cursing, I banished the thought and forced myself to think rationally. No one other than Godric should be able to call me or control me. I had dodged a catastrophe. I should be thankful for that. I would protect her as I would any asset, but I didn't have to be blood bound to do that.

"And the light I heard you speak of?" I adroitly sidestepped the issue of the bond and moved onto the other item of note. "Would you explain?"

She stared at me as color mounted on her cheeks once again. It was fascinating to watch all on its own. I had long since lost track of the number of times she's blushed this evening. She must be glorious in orgasm, I thought distractedly. Her whole body must flush.

"After our second exchange, we both noticed there was a noticeable glow surrounding each of us. No one other than us was ever able to detect it, though. When my magic hit you this evening, your glow diminished."

"And now?" I enquired with genuine curiosity. It felt strange to unknowingly carry her mark, even if I couldn't see it.

"It is mostly back," she replied, her eyes taking in every inch of exposed flesh on my body. "It's still not as strong, but it will probably go back to normal, by the looks of it."

"This glow is always present?" I asked.

"Yes, or I think so, anyway," she paused and bit her lip. Her expression hardened before she continued. "It's always brighter when we are together."

"Together as in in the same room, or together as in fucking?" I queried bluntly.

"There's no need to be crass," she spoke crossly. "And we never just fucked. We made love."

"Forgive me," I swept my arms to the sides in a gesture of mock contrition. "Was this glow more pronounced when we made glorious, passionate love? In every room of the house, wasn't it?"

"There's no need to be a bastard, you know. And yes, when we made love," she narrowed her eyes and spat the words at me, "we created our very own fucking lightshow, all right?

I stared at her in wonder. Perhaps she might have been the best ever. Who the fuck knows? I did know I wanted to fuck her even more now. I wanted to see this lightshow for myself. I was suddenly regretful I could not see this glow we carried as she could.

"Care to show me?" I asked flirtatiously. I flashed the smile known to drop panties across the globe.

"Not on your fucking life!" she retorted with venom. Her color fled at the very suggestion. "You'll just have to take my word for it."

I hadn't expected her to fall for my slick charms, but the strength of her denial left me wondering if I'd blown any chance of getting into what I was sure were her very pretty panties. I brushed the thought aside. I was confident in my ability to woo her to my bed, should I decide I want her here. It was still too soon to make that determination, even as my cock tried to sway me towards fucking her right here on Pam's expensive rug.

I laughed instead to show her I wasn't affected by her rejection. She was causing me to experience emotions I could neither name nor remember feeling before. Feelings were something I could do without. Cold dread filled me as a new reality entered my mind.

"What do you feel through the bond?" I asked with building trepidation. Could she feel these fucking mood swings I was experiencing?

"Not much lately," she replied. "I've been keeping it shut down as much as I can. I feel your presence, but not much else. I don't want to feel anything else."

I wanted to grin at her evasive answer. She was good, I had to admit.

"And when it is not shut down?" I asked sweetly. The disadvantage she had me at was obvious. I couldn't tell if she was lying to me or not.

"Everything, okay? When it's open, I can feel everything." Her anger was burning again and I gave some consideration to it. I was the one who should be angry here.

"Why does that anger you?" I asked the question, not sure why it mattered.

Her incredulous look suggested I was asking something insanely obvious. I shrugged and quirked an eyebrow.

"Do you think I want to feel you?" Her face was as pale as her golden tan would allow. Her lips twisted in a sneer of disgust and blazing blue eyes condemned me. I felt unaccustomed chagrin. I shouldn't have to feel ashamed about whatever pleasures I indulged in, but yet, her words made me feel inexplicably guilty.

"No, I suppose you don't," I remarked slowly. I could see her point, no matter how pissed off it made me. "Perhaps we should look into having the bond severed. It may be possible especially considering my side is already gone."

"If that's what you want," she answered stiffly. Her eyes shimmered as she turned away. She retrieved her small purse and coat from the chair adjacent to the desk I was leaning against. "You can let me know whenever you decide. I'm going home now."

I thought about refusing to let her leave, but I realized I'd probably pushed my luck enough tonight. I was looking forward to some time alone with my thoughts, too.

"Be sure to forward me your new number tomorrow," I stated briskly. I stood and walked to the door, holding it open for her. She nodded, keeping her face down and her eyes averted. The unmistakable salty scent of her tears hit me as she brushed past. "Goodnight, Eric," she whispered as she passed.

"Goodnight," I replied. I watched her stride determinedly towards the back exit. Just before she walked out the door, I called out to her. "Sookie?"

She stopped, but did not turn to face me. I didn't force the issue. I didn't want to see her tears any more than she wanted me to see them.

"I am sorry. I want you to know that." I paused, struggling to find the right words. "I can't say I understand what you are going through, but I want you to know I regret the pain you have suffered."

She stood motionlessly for a long moment. Eventually her blonde head nodded twice. Without further acknowledgement of my unprecedented apology, she walked through the door and out of my life again.

I couldn't understand the regret filling me. I brushed it off instead and walked towards the bar.

Thoughts of Sookie Stackhouse could wait for later.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think.<em>**


	56. Pot, meet Kettle

_**I want to thank everyone who's taken the time to read and review this story. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I do have a few things to say about some of the comments left, but I will do so at the end of the chapter, so anyone not interested doesn't need to bother.**_

_**As always, I own nothing.**_

* * *

><p>Ten days passed before Pam contacted me with Eric's formal request for my services. I'd wasted most of those days moping around, feeling sorry for myself. I wasn't sleeping much these days, only a few hours in the morning. The lack of sleep was wearing on me.<p>

I was losing control of the bond as I slept. I'd woken panting and aroused a couple of times, lust ripping through my body like flood waters tearing a levee to bits. I'd cried hysterically for hours the first time, leaving myself a hormonal, emotional wreck for days. The second time it happened I marched myself under a cold shower and let rage take over. I screamed and raged under the cold spray until my voice was hoarse. It wasn't until much later I realized how deeply I bruised my hands as I'd pounded on the shower tiles.

It was the third time which convinced me I should avoid sleeping in the nighttime hours. As before, I'd woken aroused, my nipples diamond hard and the flesh between my legs was slippery. I knew this immediately upon waking; to my utter mortification, both of my hands were situated there, thrusting and rubbing me to the brink of orgasm. Again, his lust for the fuck and feed of the night had barreled through the bond as I slept. My mind was horrified by what was happening, but unable to stop my fingers from pushing me over the edge of the lust intended for someone else.

By the time morning rolled around, I knew I could never take that risk ever again. I wasn't embarrassed by the masturbation at all. Masturbation had been the basis of my sex life for most of my life. I'd even allowed myself the pleasure in the time Eric and I had been apart. But what I'd done, fueled by my vampires lust for a nameless, faceless fangbanger, made me feel dirty in a way I couldn't explain.

All of this weighed heavily on me as I made my way through the employee interviews at Fangtasia. As promised, Pam had gotten them all together, a tough feat considering how overly glamoured some of them were. Bobby had been there to open the bar, and I struggled to hold his malicious thoughts at bay. He was delighted Eric had moved on. I was always trash in his book. It wasn't long before I asked one of my Were guards to escort him from the building. I didn't care where he waited, but I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the interviews with him around.

One by one they all filed into Pam's office and allowed themselves to be manipulated into revealing any and all information I was looking for. There was no subterfuge in any of them, no deceit I could detect. Most of them were die hard vampire worshipers who would never think to harm their employers. The rest were mostly college students working for the great tips and benefits Fangtasia provided. Overall, the interviews were largely successful. No Fellowship, no hatred. But there were a couple of items I was going to have to discuss with Eric.

I sighed. It was the last thing I wanted to do. I could simply give the information to Pam, but I knew it was only delaying the inevitable. He was going to have questions and I'd rather just get it over with. Sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring would be intolerable.

Seeing him again was what I was dreading. The last meeting had gone to hell altogether. He wasn't the vampire I met all those months ago; he wasn't the vampire I'd grown to know and love. He was another entity entirely, an Eric I didn't know if I could love.

Why he was so different was a mystery I didn't care enough to unravel. My hurt hadn't dissipated with time, if anything the knife wedged deeper with every passing night. He had moved on, it was clear and obvious. He wasn't interested in knowing me beyond my telepathy. I knew he wanted to fuck me, of course, the raging erection he'd sported told me that, even if the bond hadn't told me. But as much as my treacherous body still yearned for his touch, I wasn't interested in just sex for the sake of it.

Being just one in a crowd had never been my style. I wasn't interested in being just another conquest. If he put another notch in his bedpost, the entire freaking bed might just collapse.

The sky was turning into a fiery ball of orange and the sun made its slow descent to hide behind the horizon. I sat in my car in the nearly empty Fangtasia parking lot and watched as the orange slowly transformed into a beautiful shade of indigo. The sun had set. Eric was already awake, of course. The bond had pulsed with life at least thirty minutes ago. Ginger had arrived to open the bar over an hour ago, and I'd already seen a couple of the hard-core fangbangers show up. The vampires wouldn't be far behind.

I settled into my thoughts once again and waited patiently. Eric was the first to arrive, parking in his usual spot and striding to the employee door without sparing a glance in my direction. He wouldn't know my car, of course, and couldn't feel the blood magic between us. There was something poignantly sad about watching him walk by like I wasn't there.

I waited until Pam pulled up a few minutes later before I exited the vehicle. I wanted to walk in with her and follow the same protocol as before – hide out in her office and let Eric come to me there. I still wasn't ready to be in his office again. I probably never would be.

"Pam," I called as she closed her car door. I wanted to catch her before she vamped away.

"Sookie. What are you doing here?" She gave me a once over. "Did everything go okay today?"

"Mostly," I confirmed. "But a few things came up you guys need to know about. I thought I may as well tell you together."

"Strength in numbers, huh?" she quizzed with a faint smile. "Come on, my telepathic friend. Let's go face the bear."

"The bear?" I asked. I didn't get the reference.

"That's what he's been like lately. Grumpy and touchy like a giant fucking bear," Pam drawled out. "Something has him frustrated." She grinned at me and I shrugged my shoulder. I didn't think it was me. I hadn't seen him in a while.

I followed her into the bar and walked past his closed office door without even looking. She unlocked her office door and pushed me inside. "Stay here. I'll get him."

I dropped my coat and purse, but remained standing. I was too jittery to sit still. I paced the office while I waited. The door opened and Pam walked in, followed closely by Eric. Our eyes met briefly, but he was the first to break contact.

"Pam tells me you have news." His words were calm and even, but he was avoiding my gaze.

"Yes. Good and bad." I paused and took a deep breath. "I found no problems with your staff. They are all who they say they are. I came across no connections to the Fellowship and there were no red flags from anyone. I will say that a few of them have been glamoured far too much already. There's going to be serious damage if they're glamoured much more."

"Give me the names and I will see what can be done," Pam offered immediately. Eric didn't speak.

"The bad news is you have a thief in your midst." Eric's head snapped up and his intense gaze pinned me. I had to take a breath and concentrate on not stuttering. "Longshadow is stealing from you."

"How do you know this?" Eric demanded.

"He and Belinda are involved, though I'm not too sure she wants to be. She's one of the ones who's a couple of brain cells away from shut down. He glamoured her not to speak about him, but he couldn't stop what she thought."

Eric glared at me for a few more seconds. His expression was so cold.

"Is she involved?"

I was grateful for the honest answer I had. "No, she's not. He's skimming from the till, not ringing in sales. She isn't getting a cent of it. Frankly, she's terrified of him."

Eric drove a massive hand through his thick hair. His fingers tightened against his scalp, tugging on the strands in frustration. I stayed quiet.

"Thank you," he said after some time. I glanced up at him in surprise.

"You're welcome," I replied carefully. He was still agitated.

"Was there anything else we needed to know?"

"Not about Longshadow, but there's a couple of your Area vampires causing problems with the wait staff. A few of your waitresses are being glamoured into being donors against their will."

Pam looked surprised, but Eric's expression didn't flicker from the carved stone mask he wore.

"Could you identify them?" she asked.

"Absolutely," I replied. Their faces were burned into my memory. Their actions were doubly despicable considering the sheer volume of willing donors. "Two males, Malcolm and Liam, and there's a female named Diane."

"The disco triplets." Pam shot a look at Eric. "I'll make sure it stops," she promised. There was a glint in her eye I didn't want to think too hard about.

"Thank you," I replied sincerely. No one deserved to be preyed upon. "Everything else was fine. Nothing to worry about in anything I heard."

"You work very efficiently," Eric interjected. He sounded almost detached, but I could feel his curiosity.

"Lifetime of practice," I brushed it off.

"Good work, all the same. I will forward your payment soon."

"Whenever," I responded. I was in no hurry. In fact, if my payment hadn't been decided by our contract, I probably would have told him not to bother. I didn't need his money. I really only agreed to do this so I could know for myself the people he and Pam trusted were worthy of it. But I didn't want to start to mess with the contact. It and my adherence to it's protective clauses were the only thing protecting me from manipulation. I wasn't going to sabotage it for the sake of a few hundred he could easily afford.

He issued a few terse commands to Pam regarding Longshadow. He spoke in his native tongue, a change I found curious. I wondered if it were possible he hadn't been told of my fluency in his ancient dialects. Following his directions, Pam left the office, nodding at me. Her look suggested I would be fine. I gave her a weak smile in response.

The silence was awkward between us and only got worse the longer we just stared at one another. Tension built inside me and my hands began to fidget at my sides. The desire to run was overwhelming, but I stood my ground, shaky as it was.

"I have decided it would be best if we did not break the bond. For your protection," he spoke at last, shocking me with his subject matter. "It would raise too many questions with the Queen."

I didn't know what to say. Was he expecting a thank you? I settled on an, "I see," even though I wasn't sure I did.

"I would appreciate it if you would continue to keep it closed."

And I'd appreciate it if you'd keep it in your pants, I thought resentfully, while I said, "I always try my best to keep it closed." Didn't always work very well, but damned if I was going to tell him about it.

"You look tired," he noted.

"Nothing a little sleep wouldn't cure," I replied dryly. Or maybe if you gave the fangbangers a rest for a couple of nights, I thought spitefully.

"Does using your telepathy tax your strength?" he asked solicitously.

I stared at him suspiciously. Did he really care, or was he making polite conversation? "It can be tiring, yes, but I've had a lifetime to learn to deal with it."

His eyes travelled over my face before settling back on mine. "You look like you haven't slept in days. Why aren't you sleeping?"

I sighed to myself. Was I really going to have this conversation? No, I don't think so.

"I don't know how it's any of your concern," I finally replied.

"You are an asset, Sookie."

"So what? Do you question all your assets about their sleeping patterns?" I shot back.

"If I felt it necessary," he answered evenly. Of course he would. He's the great Eric Northman, after all.

"Well, it's not necessary now. I performed my work satisfactorily. That's all that matters," I stated stubbornly. "There's nothing wrong with me."

"If there is nothing wrong, then why do you have bags under your eyes?" I'd kinda forgotten Eric's stubborn streak was at least as wide as mine. I just couldn't figure out why he was pushing so hard. What did he care if I was tired?

"Gee, thanks for noticing," I muttered sarcastically. I knew I didn't look my best, but it was both annoying and hurtful for him to point it out. "Really, Eric, what does it matter? I just need to get some sleep."

"Are you seeing anyone?" he asked casually. Too casually, really. "Having late nights?"

Jesus Christ. The irony of his question was simply too much. "Pot, meet kettle," I spoke sarcastically. "I'm going home now, Eric."

"What does that mean?" His brow furrowed, a look I used to find adorable. It annoyed the crap out of me right now.

"It means you've moved on with your life; you have no right to question me about mine." I slung my purse over my shoulder and walked to the door. I paused with my hand on the door handle and looked back one last time.

"But just so there's no misunderstanding, the answer is no. I am not seeing anyone." I left him to his thoughts and walked out the door. I didn't think he had the right to ask, but I didn't want him to assume I'd moved on, either.

I wasn't sure what I wanted from this Eric, but I wasn't ready to let him go yet.

About a mile or so after I exited the highway, I had things other than Eric Northman to curse on. My old car jolted and sputtered, losing momentum with every passing second. I lurched to a stop on the shoulder of the road just as smoke began spewing from under the hood. I scrambled from the car quickly. It was safer to be on the outside in case the engine caught on fire.

Standing on the side of the road, I cursed myself for not having bought a new car by now. I'd just kept putting it off and now it was too late. I groaned out loud as I tried to think of who I could call to come pick me up. It was too late to call Tara, and Lafayette was still working, I was sure. I was just about to take the chance and stick my head back inside the car to grab my phone when a movement from the bushes caught my attention.

"Hello?" I called out. The movement in the underbrush stopped abruptly, but I knew there was something there.

Whatever it was, it wasn't human.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it.<em>**

**_To address some of the comments left, I'm very sorry to disappoint any of you, but this is not a quick fix storyline and it will be a while before Eric is back to normal. But you don't have to wait long for his attitude to start changing, and for some answers to be revealed. I'm sorry if that's not enough, but that's how the story played out._**

**_I am not drawing this out on purpose, nor do I hate my readers, as one reader suggested. I've always said this was going to be a long, involved story. It's how the story came to me, and this is how it is going to be published. I appreciate the feedback, and feel free to critique my grammar, my sentence structure, even the plot. I really do appreciate constructive criticism, but it is not going to change how the story plays out. _**

**_I personally understand how a lot of you feel about this section. I wasn't necessarily a fan of where this story went, either, and it wasn't really fun to write. This section of Just in Time is why I wrote New Beginnings and if you are looking for something lighter to enjoy, perhaps the best option. The worst is pretty much over in this chapter, and it does improve chapter by chapter, but it's going to be a while before this one sees it's happy ending._**

**_The next chapters will bring in some familiar plot lines twisted to fit this story and we will see some progress with Eric. I hope you chose to stick it out and see where the story goes._**


	57. Feelings

_**Many thanks go to all who read and reviewed the last chapter. I tried my best to respond to all of you, but if I missed you, please know I still appreciate the support.**_

_**This will be the last chapter before the holidays, unless a miracle happens. I will get back on a regular posting schedule when life gets back to normal.**_

_**Happy holidays to everyone!**_

* * *

><p>"Get Sookie on the phone."<p>

"Now? What's the matter?" Pam didn't bother to look up at me, but remained focused on the paperwork in front of her. Any other time I might have been impressed with her diligence, but I was not in the fucking mood.

"Get her on the goddamned phone!" I roared. Pam picked up the phone and started to dial immediately. I could feel her eyes on me as I paced the small confines of the office.

After Sookie Stackhouse flounced out of my office, just after pointing out my hypocrisy, I resolved to put the infuriating girl out of my mind. I wasn't delusional enough to believe I could banish her for good, but I was hoping for a couple of good Sookie-free hours. There was a new dancer I'd been watching for a couple of nights. Tall and willowy, with dark hair, she was the exact opposite of the telepath. It hadn't taken much persuasion to convince her to join me in the basement.

Yvetta tried, she really did. The Estonian stripper had a few tricks of her own, but nothing she did brought me any closer to the sex-driven haze I desperately wanted to lose myself in. Thoughts of the fairy hybrid mocked me at every turn. The feel of Yvetta's hands on my body was wrong, I knew it instinctively. _She_ had not touched me like that; I was certain.

I was securing a set of padded restraints around the dancer's spread legs when the thoughts of Sookie changed. It was like I couldn't shake them, no matter how hard I tried. She was in my blood, even though the bond was gone. I pounded into the willing Yvetta with force, trying to fuck the strange feeling away.

It didn't work. I gave up in disgust a couple of minutes later, unhooking the girl with vampire speed and dressing quickly. Without a backwards glance, I sped up the stairs and into my office. Slumped onto the sofa, I threw my head back and tried to make sense of what I was feeling. So many jumbled emotions, but there were snatches of something I couldn't understand. A cold grip of fear closed over my heart, holding me tight for a long moment.

My mind played tricks on me as her voice called my name over and over again, growing weaker every time until the sound was nothing but an echo in my head. I sat up, only to have the sensations begin all over again. Dread spread through me. Part of it was mine, but I was sure it was because I was feeling her fear.

"She's not answering," Pam broke through my thoughts. "I've tried three times. What's going on, Eric?"

"Go after her. I think she might be in trouble." The more I processed what was happening in my head, the more certain I became that the telepath needed help. Whether she was reaching out through the dormant vampire bond somehow, or whether the Fae bond we shared was trying to alert me to her peril, I knew it was her fear I was feeling.

She was calling me.

Pam was on her feet in an instant. "Are you coming?" she asked as she picked up the keys and went to the door.

"No," I decided in the instant. "You go the highway route. It will be faster if I fly towards Bon Temps. I'll pick up the road near the exit. Call me if you find her before that."

I was in the air moments later. I could still sense her cycle of calling my name urgently before fading away. I truly hoped I was hallucinating, but I could feel the seriousness of the situation in my very bones. She was in trouble. She needed me.

My altitude dropped as I caught sight of the road winding through the trees. The eerie silence in the night air told me my suspicions were correct. The night was only silent when trouble walked through. Not a sound was heard from the thousands of creatures who called these woods home.

The scent of her blood hit just moments before I spotted her car on the side of the road. The complete silence allowed me to hear her heartbeat – her dangerously erratic heartbeat – without any problem. The piece of shit car she drove was emitting tendrils of white smoke from the engine compartment as I flew past it.

My boots hit the pavement with a thud as I landed a foot from her crumpled form. Blood was trickling across her face from what appeared to be a superficial wound to her temple. She might have sustained the injury when she fell. The true source of the blood staining the asphalt was the four ragged tears down the creamy flesh of her back.

At this distance, it was impossible to miss the rotten stench of poison coming from the bloody, bubbling wounds. I sent a short text to Pam before gathering the unconscious telepath into my arms. Shooting into the sky, I sent a prayer to whatever gods were listening. I called to every god I remembered from my human days as we shot through the quiet night. Since my prayers were for the small, soft woman in my arms and not for me, I hoped some might listen.

We landed at Fangtasia exactly twelve minutes later. Pam had not made it back yet, but I was pleased to find Ludwig waiting in my office. Pam must have impressed on her my seriousness.

"What do you have there, Northman?" The short, mean-tempered healer peered up at me from her diminutive four foot eight. Her round black framed spectacles, under her blunt, steel grey bangs, added to her no nonsense appearance.

"I don't know what did this, but it smells like poison." I carefully arranged her body onto the couch before ripping away the tattered remains of her pretty blue shirt. Her bra strap had been shredded by whatever tore her flesh. I gently pulled the hairs stuck to the wound free, sweeping all of the long golden strands to the side.

"Hmm," Dr. Ludwig shuffled over to the couch where Sookie rested. "Let's have a look."

Before I could register her intention, the doctor reached out and pressed the tip of her stubby finger into one of the bleeding gashes. An agonized scream signaled the telepath's return to consciousness.

A growl ripped through my chest when Dr. Ludwig popped the finger covered in Sookie's blood into her mouth. A tidal wave of possessiveness swamped me. It was only the sound of the harsh sobs coming from the bloodied and battered telepath that made me hold my temper in the moment.

Without conscious thought, my hand reached out and smoothed her silken hair away from her face. Tear tracks stained her face, leaving her skin blotchy. I brushed away as much of the saline loaded moisture from her cheeks as I could reach.

I didn't miss how she turned her head into my touch, even though she wasn't fully aware of her actions.

"Sookie?" I called her name as I continued to stroke away her tears. My skin was still quite cold from flying and I thought it must feel good against her overheated flesh. She was burning up, I realized as I glared at the doctor. "Can you wake up, Sookie? Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"Definitely poison," announced the doctor. Her eyes snapped open and focused on me again. "Your friend here has made the acquaintance of a maenad."

"What the fuck?" Pam voiced my thoughts as she strode through the office door.

"What the hell would a maenad want with her?" I asked of no one in particular. From what I knew of Sookie Stackhouse, she would hardly draw the attention of a maenad.

"I'm a message for you," Sookie spoke hoarsely. All eyes in the room fixed on her. "A crazy woman with a pig used me as her bulletin board."

"A pig?" I asked with complete astonishment.

"Oink, oink. Razorback. Wild pig. And she said she wanted to send you a message, and I turned in time to keep her from getting my face. She got my back and then she left."

My hands clenched into fists as I thought of her beautiful face ruined by the poison scarring her back right now. Squashing the rage back, I continued to stroke the tears from her face. They were still free falling from the agony.

"Who are you?" Sookie gritted out from between clenched teeth.

"This is Dr. Ludwig, Sookie. She's here to help you." I spoke soothingly.

"What kind of doctor are you?" she questioned.

"The healing kind," Ludwig answered honestly

"Can you heal me?" she asked quietly, choking back a sob.

"You have been poisoned," the doctor replied bluntly. "I can clean the wounds and close them up. But if you want to live we will have to remove most of your blood. The vampires can look after that."

"But my blood is poisoned!" she said. "Won't it hurt them?"

"It won't make them feel good," she confirmed with a dark chuckle. "It's going to take at least two of you, but three would be better. You have to be careful how much you all ingest." I nodded my understanding. "After I'm done with you, we will give you a transfusion."

"Of human blood," Sookie stated firmly, even if her voice sounded like hell.

"Yes, human blood, if we can get it and some synthetic for the rest."

"We can get the blood," I replied immediately. Pam nodded in agreement. "What's your blood type, Sookie?"

"O positive," she muttered. Her face was incredibly pale under the blood dried onto it.

"Be right back," Pam said before she disappeared.

"You're going to have to get out of my way, vampire," the doctor nodded at Sookie. "I'm almost ready to start cleaning those wounds."

I brushed my hand over her forehead one more time before I stood. "I'll be back in a minute," I promised softy. I managed to keep my promise, returning in under a minute with a pile of cold, wet wash cloths. I sat on the floor beside her head and picked up the first cloth.

Sookie sighed and opened her eyes. I almost wished she'd kept them closed when I saw the pain ravaging her. "That feels good," she whispered. I continued to slowly rub the cloth over her face, gently washing away the traces of her blood. My fangs were positively aching to drop, but I managed to hold them back. For now. The scent of her blood, even tainted with the maenad's poison, was overwhelmingly sweet in the closed confines of the office.

"Eric?" she spoke quietly enough I had to lean close to hear her words. Our heads were nearly touching we were that close.

"Yes, Sookie?"

"Can I have a blanket?" Her eyes drifted closed as she spoke.

"Are you cold?" I asked. Her skin was still burning hot.

"No." Her eyes remained closed as she spoke. "I need to put it under me."

"Don't worry about the couch, Sookie." I dropped the cloth and picked up a clean one. "It can be cleaned."

"Please, Eric?" she asked with a sob. "Don't ask me why, please. Can you just get me something to put under me?"

I frowned at her strange request, but if a blanket would make her more comfortable, I would do ask she asked. It took only a minute to get one of the fleecy blankets from the gift shop. The black blanket had Fangtasia's logo embroidered in bright, scarlet red. It took a bit of maneuvering, but I managed to get it situated under the injured girl without causing her too much pain.

Mission accomplished, I sat on the floor again and resumed wiping away the trickling tears and sweat from her skin. She seemed more at peace now that she had her blanket, but her color looked worse by the minute. A sallow yellow undertone was becoming more pronounced. I looked at the doctor and she nodded.

"Sookie the doctor is going to start cleaning your wounds now." I paused, uncertain how to proceed. "Do you want to hold my hand?"

Her eyes opened and the intense blue captivated me. Even blemished with the yellowed, bloodshot whites, her eyes were still entrancing. She didn't answer, but her hand moved toward me. I picked it up and wrapped her small fingers around mine.

Dr. Ludwig leaned in over her patient and started licking the ragged tears on her back. Sookie shrieked, both with surprise and pain, the pain only increasing as she jerked her body away from the doctor.

"What are you doing?" she screeched.

"She is the healer," I gently rebuked her. "You must trust her and accept her treatment."

"Oh, all right," she gave in in sullenly. "By the way, I haven't heard an 'I'm sorry' from you yet."

"I am sorry that the maenad picked on you."

She glared at me. "Not enough," she said. I got the sense she was using the conversation to avoid the pain.

"Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me." I offered my apology with a wickedly smooth delivery, ending with a bowed head.

"That's more like it." Her words were panted out. Her grip on my hand was tight, but I could feel her strength dwindling. Her head was lying on the couch, the strength to hold it up sapped by poison and pain.

Dr. Ludwig moved on to the fourth and final tear. Thankfully, this one was shorter and less jagged than the others. She was just finishing when Pam sped back into the room holding a small cooler. She laid it on the desk and looked at me with a raised brow.

"How is she holding up?" she asked with concern. She crouched down beside me and peered at the nearly unconscious telepath. "Jesus fucking Christ, Eric! She's changing color!" Sookie shrieked again, an agonizing sound ripped from her swollen, hoarse throat. Her grip on my hand became tight enough to be nearly painful.

"I know," I replied grimly, picking up another cold cloth and laying it over the back of her neck. Dr. Ludwig leaned over and examined her rapidly yellowing complexion.

"You'd better begin," Ludwig announced. "If there's to be any hope at all."

Sookie had once again lost her battle for consciousness and I was glad she was to be spared the near draining it would require to clear enough of the poison from her system. She's battled so hard already.

"We have to drain her," I said to Pam. I knew it was imperative to get it done quickly, but I couldn't help but feel strange at the prospect of taking her blood. Would it re-kindle the dormant bond? I'd already decided it would be worth it to save her life, but I secretly hoped it would have no effect. My feelings towards Ms. Stackhouse were confused enough.

"Are you going first, or am I?" Pam asked impatiently.

"Do not take too much. You are too young to withstand much of the poison," Ludwig cautioned. "Are you going to get a third vampire in here?"

I shook my head. "No," I replied. If Godric were here, I would ask him. But no one outside my line was going to taste her. I didn't dwell on why I felt as strongly as I did, but I'd made up my mind. "Pam will take what you feel is safe, and I will deal with the rest."

"You can't weaken yourself, Eric," Pam protested.

"I won't. I'll stop ingesting when the doctor says to. I can spit the rest." All that mattered was getting the poison from her system.

I picked her up as gently as I could and held her in my arms as I sat. Her body leaned forward over my forearm to avoid any pressure on her still oozing wounds. Pam sat on the other side and brushed Sookie's hair back before dropping her fangs and sinking them into her neck.

My grip tightened around the girl in my arms as I watched my child drink from her. Sookie's firm, voluptuous breasts pressed against my arm. A detached part of my brain recognized the erotic undertones of the situation, but my body failed to respond to the stimuli. I didn't know if I should feel relieved or disappointed, but my attention remained on Sookie as I monitored her vital signs carefully.

It seemed like hours went by before Ludwig signaled Pam to stop drinking. My child lifted her head and looked at me. A dazed expression and a dreamy smile graced her face.

"Are you alright?" I asked. We couldn't be one hundred percent sure how the poison would affect us.

"Yes," she nodded her head emphatically. She gave me a strange look as she stood to her feet, licking the remnants of the blood from her lips.

"Get on with it, vampire," Ludwig prompted as I stared at Pam. I looked down at her, determining how to position her best. I decided to turn her towards me so she could rest against my chest as I drank from her. Her skin was feverishly hot. I stripped my t-shirt off, thinking my cold skin might help. Pam helped me move her so her legs straddled my hips and her bare chest rested against mine.

I held her long hair to the side and looked at the pulse beating faintly in her neck. The pressure in my jaw disappeared as my fangs fell into place. I licked her pulse point before sliding my fangs into her skin with care. Pulling the sharp points from the punctures, I closed my eyes as blood began to fill my mouth.

Even tainted with the bitter taste of poison, her blood was magnificent. As suggested by the sweetness of her scent, her blood was undeniably special. A faint spiciness only enhanced her honeyed sweetness, creating a heady, delectable blend. I greedily sucked another mouthful down. How had I ever managed to feed from her regularly and not take too much?

There was another note to her blood I started to recognize by the third mouthful. Buried beneath the poison and her own unique flavor, I could taste myself. I was surprised, even though I shouldn't have been.

It's not that I doubted the story they all told me. I knew they were all being honest with me. Not being able to smell or feel my blood in her, however, made it feel like fiction rather than reality. Intellectually, I knew it was there, but it had been easy not to acknowledge it. Tasting it, knowing it was there for sure, made everything different.

I growled when Ludwig told me it was time to stop. Opening my eyes, I stared icily at the two women before me. I sucked another mouthful of blood down before her words started to make sense. Regretfully, I raised my head, breaking contact with her vein for the time being.

"You cannot swallow any more," Ludwig chided me. "You may have already ingested too much."

Defiantly, I lowered my head and deliberately lapped up the thick trickles of blood running from my fang marks. Ludwig shook her head and passed me a small bowl.

"Spit," she commanded.

It felt like punishment to have to spit out her blood, but that's exactly what I did for the next two minutes. Mouthful after mouthful spilled into the stainless steel bowl until the air was redolent with the aromatic scent of her blood.

"That should be enough," Ludwig commented, holding out her hand and taking the blood-filled bowl from my grasp. I shifted Sookie's limp body so the doctor could have easier access. I watched as she inserted the IV lines into her pale arms. Fresh human blood pumped through the right arm, while synthetic flowed into her left.

"She will probably sleep for a couple of hours, but she should wake before dawn. I'm going to give her a shot of painkillers now, and another shot for you to give her before you go to rest. I will leave a prescription for enough to last a few days, as well as some precautionary antibiotics." The doctor was bustling around preparing to leave. "Her back should be left open to the air for as long as possible tonight, but you should bandage it before morning."

"Is there anything else we should know, doctor?" Pam asked.

"She will have a hard time moving for a couple of days and the painkillers she's taking are quite powerful." The tiny doctor shrugged. "It would be best if she weren't left alone."

I nodded my head. "We will make sure she is cared for," I confirmed. I owed it to her.

Pam walked the doctor to the door, questioning her on what medical supplies to purchase. I gave a brief nod to acknowledge her departure when she left to go to the twenty four hour drugstore.

I sat alone in my office with the woman who loved me, the woman I supposedly loved, held close in my arms. Flesh to flesh, I could feel her heart beat against my chest. The steady pulse assured me she would live.

Surrounded by her warm skin and the lingering scent of her blood, I finally had to ask myself why I cared so much. I was still struggling with the answer when Pam returned forty minutes later.

I might not know why, but there was no doubt I cared more than I should.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Some of the dialogue in this chapter is from the books, as many of you will recognize. I hope I did justice to that scene.<em>**


	58. Let's go Home

_**Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays as much as I did!**_

_**Thanks for all the love and support for the last chapter! You all rock!**_

_**As always, these characters do not belong to me.**_

* * *

><p>"Eric?" Sookie's voice was little more than a croak from her swollen, sore throat as she spoke for the first time in two hours.<p>

"Yes, Sookie?" My hand stilled against her scalp, my fingers tangled in her long hair as they had been for the last hour. After Pam had cared for the wounds on her back, I'd shifted until I was lying on my back. Sookie's small body lay on top of me.

"Why does my back hurt?" Her eyes blinked sleepily. The drugs Dr. Ludwig had administered were working their magic, reducing her agonizing pain to manageable levels. Combined with her extreme exhaustion – she was near to dropping before the attack – the drugs were working to suppress the horror of the evening.

"You got hurt, Sookie. You were attacked," I told her softly. I kept my hand in her hair, my fingers moving in a soothing motion. "You're going to be okay now. You will be fine," I assured her gently.

"But who – " her gently arched brows drew together in a small frown. "Oh, God, Eric! Oh my God, she was horrible." Her eyes widened as her mind recalled the maenad. "She said I was a message to you."

"I am profoundly sorry for that," I replied. Even though I had no control of the crazed maenad, I still felt responsible.

Her head rested against my chest again and she fell silent once more. Her breathing was even enough I was unsure if she was sleeping again. I remained silent and continued stroking my fingers through her hair.

"Eric?" Her hoarse and wobbly voice shook me from my reverie.

"Yes?"

"Why are we naked?" There was no accusation in her voice, only curiosity.

"We aren't completely naked," I corrected her gently. Sookie's lacy, hot pink panties were still in place, as were my boxer briefs. It had been Pam's suggestion to strip down even further. Bloodstains were evident on both of our jeans, and my body had been doing a good job of cooling her feverish body. More skin on skin contact seemed sensible.

Her head raised a couple of inches as she tried to peer blearily at me. "I'm mad with you, Eric. We can't be naked together," she rasped out in a scolding tone.

"You don't have to be mad with me tonight," I replied. "You're hurt and this is helping you get better."

"Okay," she acquiesced too easily. Clearly, the drugs were affecting her mind.

Her hand came up to rest against my chest. We lay together quietly, my hands in her hair and her fingers toying with the sparse hairs on my pectorals. It felt uncomfortably right.

It was also uncomfortably wrong. I felt stripped raw, vulnerability creeping up on me. I couldn't remember a time when I'd held another so close, for so long. Like most vampires, I wasn't overly comfortable with any physicality outside of sexual relations. Knowing I'd had sex with this woman before only made the situation more complicated. I'd never before experienced the urge to be physically close with any of my former conquests, but I was utterly content to lie here with Sookie's warm body pressed close to my own.

A thousand years of being is an unfathomable concept, even for me. Intellectually, I understand the scope of my incredible life-span, but it is not something I give any amount of thought to. Dwelling on the passage of the years is an unhealthy pastime for vampires. I'd known a few who'd let the passage of time strip their very beings until all was left was a husk of a vampire begging for the true death.

At the same time, every memory, every experience I'd ever had was locked away in my mind somewhere. With concentration, I could flawlessly recollect a moment in time from hundreds of years ago. Every moment of my life was catalogued and filed away. Every moment except for those involving the softly pliant woman in my arms.

Was it only sense memory? I wondered. I didn't doubt we'd lain like this before, our bodies replete with satisfaction. Was my easy comfort with her because my body knew hers intimately, even as my mind refused to remember it?

As strongly as I wanted to ignore her presence in my life, I felt a sense of….something. She simply would not be ignored. Or I found it impossible to ignore her. Either way, she was beginning to worm her way into my life. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, if I were honest. Even as I was seeing what drew the others to her like moths to a flame, I felt obstinately sure I was on the right course. I'd seen for myself how much trouble she was.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," her whisper cut into my musings and I was happy for the distraction.

"I will take you," I responded automatically. I braced her against me and levitated to my feet. Sookie's arms wrapped around my neck and her legs tightened around my hips.

"You can't come into to the bathroom with me," she whispered against my neck.

"Are you sure you can do this on your own?" We stood in front of the bathroom door, Sookie still clinging to me like a monkey.

"No, but you can't come in," she replied stubbornly. I kicked the door open with my foot and strode inside. I lowered her to her feet in front of the toilet, holding her as she swayed. With surprisingly little effort, I kept my eyes on her face and not on her breasts.

"Call me when you are done," I instructed, bending low to look into her eyes. She looked back at me and nodded her head, but her eyes were hazy and clouded with pain, exhaustion and narcotics.

I waited outside the door impatiently; listening carefully to make sure she didn't fall or injure herself some other way. Other than a couple of sharp intakes of breaths, she managed fine on her own. I listened as the toilet flushed and the sink turned on a moment later. I was about to tap on the door when I heard her call my name. I was beside her in an instant.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She stood with her arms crossed defensively across her bare breasts. She met my gaze without hesitation, however.

"I'm fine," she bobbed her head in a semblance of a nod. "I don't think I can walk, though."

I squat to her level and opened my arms. Three small, hesitant steps brought her into my embrace. Two silken arms, noticeably cooler than before, wrapped around my neck as my hands moved to her hips. One smooth motion had her securely in my arms once again. I walked to my office door, pausing as she gave a deep sigh.

"What's the matter?" I asked, brushing the hair from her eyes.

"Do we have to go back into your office?" She asked her question quietly. She may have been protecting her sore throat, but I felt there was more to her question.

"Where do you want to go?" It was getting closer to dawn all the time. We would have to seek shelter somewhere else soon, anyway.

"I don't care," she said. "Anywhere else is fine. I should go home, but my car is gone."

"We have to go into the office to get what we need, but I can take you to my home then," I told her. I don't know the precise moment I decided to take her with me, but the decision was firm in my head. She couldn't care for herself and I owed her.

"You can bring me home, Eric."

"You can't be alone, Sookie," I rebutted softly. "You can stay with me tonight. I will bring you home tomorrow if you are well enough."

"Then you can stay with me," she argued.

"I need a light tight space, remember?" I asked dryly.

"And I have one," she retorted. "I built it for you. It was going to be a surprise."

I was surprised. She'd built a resting place for me in her home? The many and varied implications raced through my brain like a freight train.

"Then I will take you home," I said softly, ignoring the implications for now. Too much percolated through my brain to add more. "Let's get what we need and get out of here."

"You are going to have to sit sideways in the car," I told her. "You can lean against the center console instead of leaning back."

"Okay," she nodded her head. I sat her on the edge of my desk, placing her feet in the chair in front of her for stability. She glanced around her with a small expression of distaste on her face, but otherwise remained quiet, crossing her arms across her breasts again. The ample curves were barely contained by her slender arms.

Pam had filled Sookie's prescriptions and bought enough first aid supplies to care for a small army. I gathered everything together. She would have to take a dose of the antibiotics before she rested again. I picked up her blanket from the couch and moved toward her with it.

"What are you doing with that?" she glared balefully at the blanket she'd all but begged for earlier. I shook my head in momentary confusion.

"You will need this," I said slowly. Her face was screwed up in an unmistakable expression of disgust. "What is wrong, Sookie?"

"Um, no thanks on the blanket," she shook her head as she look at the offending fleece. "Do you have anything I can put on?"

"I thought we should leave your back uncovered until we get you home," I explained, looking over her shoulder to examine her wounds. "That's why I thought the blanket was a good idea," I explained awkwardly. I did not usually explain myself or defend my decisions.

"You can get me another blanket, then, 'cause I'm not touching that one," she pointed at the offending fabric like it was a poisonous snake.

Was there something wrong with the blanket, or was she completely befuddled by the drugs? I shrugged in a gesture of defeat.

"You can have another blanket," I assured her. "But I would like to know what you don't like about this one."

She snorted and gave me a look which suggested I was being obtuse. "Seriously? After where that thing's been?"

"Where has it been?" I asked curiously. I was beginning to favor drug induced befuddlement at this point.

She raised her eyebrows and stared at me for a moment before jerking her head in the direction of the couch. A wince of pain accompanied her movement, causing her blue eyes to flutter closed as I turned to look at the couch.

"God knows what's been on that couch," she said. The quiet words may have been meant for her ears only. I stared at the sofa, sudden understanding dawning on me.

"There hasn't been anyone on that couch," I stated just as quietly. Her eyes snapped to mine. She looked incredulous and dopey at the same time. "It's new. I don't know where it came from, but I know I haven't done anything on it."

Her eyes rolled as she looked between me and the couch doubtfully. "It's mine," she finally stated. "You bought it for me."

"I bought you a couch for my office?" I asked dumbly. Her words didn't make any sense.

"Yup," she nodded her head emphatically. "Everything in here. You said I deserved somewhere untainted by the memory of others."

I stared at her in shock. Could she be telling me the truth? The office being redecorated was gone from my memory, lending credence to her notion. The only reason not to remember it was if it related to her. It was a mushy, sentimental move to make, however, one I couldn't see myself making. Maybe it had been Pam's idea? I may have taken the opportunity to claim the credit in order to seduce the telepath.

"Did we have sex on that couch?" I wasn't sure I meant to ask the question aloud, but she answered me anyway.

"Yes, we did," she confirmed, a blush of color returning to her pale face. "We christened the whole office, in fact," she continued, looking around the office dreamily. The drugs were responsible for loosening her tongue like this. "I was sorry for marking your desk like that, but I'm not now."

I stared at her in amazement. I had wondered about the gouges in the otherwise pristinely immaculate desk, but had not connected the marks to fucking Sookie Stackhouse. My mind wandered as I imagined the possibilities.

"Snap out of it, Romeo," Sookie spoke sharply. "Can we get out of here? I really don't want to sit on this desk, either. I do know what happened here," she finished huffily.

I moved to stand beside her and picked her up, placing her feet on the floor. "Can you stand here for a moment?" I asked irritably. Irrational guilt pounded me. "I promise you I haven't fucked anyone on the floor," I stated coldly.

Sookie swayed slightly, but held on to the back of the chair for support. Her blue eyes met mine. "I hated you that night," she said almost conversationally.

"I'm sure you did."

"I'm glad I didn't blow you up," she continued her honest streak.

"Me, too," I replied dryly.

"I want to still hate you," she confessed.

"You don't hate me anymore?" I asked in return. She was in a talkative mood.

"Not as much as I want to," she replied in a small, sad voice. "I still love you too much to hate you the way I want to."

"I'm sorry I'm too lovable to hate," I replied easily, attempting to lighten the suddenly oppressive tension in the room. I was more comfortable discussing her hatred for me than her love.

She snorted. "That's one way to look at it," she replied bitterly.

I took the opportunity to cut the conversation short and vamped out into the bar area to retrieve another blanket. Her reasons for wanting, and then rejecting, the blanket made perfect sense to me now. It was more than just the memory of the fangbanger. To her, it was the desecration of the space she considered hers. Ours.

I hurried back to the office and found her where I'd left her, but she was swaying much more unsteadily. I cursed to myself before grabbing the bag of supplies.

"Let's go," I said, opening my arms to her. She shook her head and laughed.

"I get why I have no clothes," she said, "but don't you think you should put some on?"

I glanced down at my nearly naked body and shrugged. It hadn't registered with me, but my near nudity didn't faze me.

"It doesn't bother me, but I'll put on some clothes if it's bothering you," I replied, dropping the packages in my arms and moving to the armoire in the corner.

"It's not exactly bothering me," she admitted. I wanted to turn and confirm my suspicion her eyes were following my every move, but I didn't.

"There," I said as I approached her again, covered in jeans and a spare Fangtasia shirt. I bent to pick up the bags before opening my arms to her once more. I reluctantly shook the new, untainted fleece out and wrapped her in it as she approached me. I was careful to leave her back uncovered.

"Let's go home," I said as I picked her up in my arms again.

That I referred to her house as home didn't occur to me until much later.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Another chapter down. What do you think?<strong>_


	59. Conversations

_**I'd like to apologize for how long it's taken me to get this posted. Not to be dramatic, but it's been an unusually busy couple of weeks. Elderly parents, crazy busy family and a husband on the road. I just haven't had a moment to myself, let alone computer time. Anyway, here it is and I promise life is back on track and I will be posting again in a few days.**_

_**Thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I love you all!**_

_**As always, I own nothing. All characters are the property of Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball.**_

* * *

><p>The trip to Bon Temps was mostly silent with Sookie drifting in and out of a hazy, sleepy state. My thoughts consumed me throughout the quiet drive, taking me in unexpected directions. Her words were a welcome reprieve when they came.<p>

"Can we stop at my car and get my stuff? My purse and phone are there. We'll need the keys to get into the house."

"I'll look after it," I promised. The car came into view a minute later and I pulled up behind it. The still, heavy night air was perfumed with the delicate scent of Sookie's fairy-tinged blood, albeit dampened by the still rancid stink of poison and maenad. My nostrils twitched, as did my fangs. I ignored both and retrieved her belongings from her broken down heap. The car was a disgrace, frankly, and I didn't mourn its demise. She would have to replace it, though, and I wondered if she had the funds to do so.

The rest of the journey passed quickly and I was soon carrying Sookie into her old farmhouse. My primal core roared with satisfaction as I passed through her doorway without hindrance. My invitation had never been rescinded.

"You can put me in my bed," she suggested as I stood in the foyer.

I shook my head. "I think you should stay with me. Is there room in my space for both of us?"

She nodded tersely, color rising once again. I cursed myself for my question. If she built the space for me in her house, it was a safe assumption she had intended for us to share the space at times.

"Why do I need to stay with you?" she probed. "You'll be sleeping all day."

"And so will you," I pointed out. I didn't know why I felt it was necessary, but I didn't want to let her out of my sight, or my grasp.

Her head rested against my shoulder again. There wasn't much fight left in her.

"Can I get some clothes from my room at least?" she asked with a yawn.

"Sure," I began to climb the stairs, realizing that like everything else, I didn't know which room was hers. I was saved from another awkward question as she pointed to the door at the end of the hall. "It's that one," she said without inflection.

It was immediately evident I had spent time in this room. My scent was present everywhere, even as faded as it was. I stopped myself from wondering as I gently placed her on the edge of her bed while I searched for her clothes. She directed me to the right items and we were back downstairs quickly, Sookie clinging to me in her now familiar position. Interestingly, she'd discarded her blanket upstairs and her bare flesh pressed against me once more. I told myself it was only the drugs making her so free with me, nothing more.

"Which way?" I questioned, following her direction through the living room until I stood before an antique armoire. I flicked the latch on the side and the armoire shifted to reveal a steel door. She rattled off a string of numbers and I dutifully entered them into the system panel, as well as committing them to memory. It was a system I recognized and used in several of my own homes. I wondered how she afforded it.

Levitating our entwined bodies, I lowered us carefully down the hatch until my feet touched solid ground. Sookie's hand reached out and flicked a switch to the left. Lights blazed and she buried her face into the curve of my neck, shielding her sensitive eyes from the light.

My own eyes widened as I took in the space she'd designed for me. The brilliant jewel tones adorning the walls and the bedding should have made the small room appear even smaller, but instead created a warm, inviting atmosphere, even in the harsh glare of the overhead light. The double bed occupied the majority of the floor space; matching nightstands and dresser in a deep mahogany completed the look.

Moving slowly, I lowered my – my what? My injured asset? The fairy? My former lover? I wasn't sure what to call her anymore, but I placed her face down on the emerald green bedspread. I bent to flick the switch on the small bedside lamp before returning to the wall switch to kill the harsh overhead light.

I couldn't help but be aware of her beauty as she lay across the bed meant to hold both of us. Her golden skin glowed against the deep green fabric; even her wounds looked less harsh. The curve of her rounded backside rose temptingly, only to dip to form her slim waist. The hint of curvaceous breast spilling from beneath her ribs was powerfully erotic; the fact I'd had them pressed to me for hours didn't dampen the sensuality of the vision before me. Her long hair spilled across her pillow and onto the adjacent one; the one meant for my head.

My cock twitched impatiently in response to the visual stimuli, but I ignored the sensations as best as I could. She was temptation personified even in her battered and wounded state. This was not the time to even contemplate seduction, no matter how very right she looked sprawled across what I already deemed my bed, even though it was in her house.

"How are you feeling?" I questioned as I sat beside her, my eyes carefully inspecting her wounds. Infection would be the biggest concern. Maenads were not known to be the most fastidious of creatures, and this one had been travelling with a wild hog, of all things. I trusted in Dr. Ludwig's abilities, but I also needed to know I had done everything I could.

"Like I was attacked by a crazy monster," Sookie responded groggily.

I suppressed a smile. Even in the worst of circumstances, she was quick witted. "From when you woke earlier to now, how do you feel?"

"Worse than before, I think. My back is aching more. My whole body is aching more," she admitted. She was making no effort to lift her head as we spoke.

"I'm going to clean up your back again before we get you bandaged," I told her. I was expecting no argument, and she didn't disappoint. She nodded her head and spoke quietly. "There's a bathroom through that door."

The bathroom was surprisingly well appointed, the small space holding a toilet, a modest sized sink and a shower large enough for company. I found a stack of wash clothes and towels and set about readying them as I again wondered how she could have afforded such an expensive renovation. She'd been making ends meet as a waitress until recently, a profession unlikely to provide for such lavish spending.

Sookie was lying as I left her, her eyes still closed. Only the uneven breaths coming from her assured me she was still awake. I reclaimed my seat beside her and began to gently clean the skin around the wounds, making sure to clean away any stray fibers and hairs clinging to the edges. My mind worked overtime as I diligently attended my task, discarding cloth after cloth until I was sure she was as clean as I could get her. My hand rested against the unblemished skin at the small of her back as I contemplated the best course of action.

"Are you finished?" she asked as I sat unmoving, the cooling washcloth bundled under my fingers.

"With this, yes," I replied as I tossed away the cloth. "I want to do something else, though, and I don't know if you will like it."

"Seriously?" she asked, one eyebrow fluttering weakly as she stared at me. "I haven't liked anything about this whole night. You think one more thing matters at this point?"

I stared at her resigned face. She'd been incredibly brave tonight, stronger and more resilient than many twice her size. The poison raging in her system would have brought a lesser being to their knees, but Sookie had braved it out, even managing to dole out some sass while being racked with pain. She'd willingly been drained to the point of death; truly leaving her life in my hands. Despite all of this, I wasn't sure she wouldn't balk at my intentions.

"What is it you want to do?" she prompted as I again lost myself in my thoughts.

"Your back is healing well, but I won't lie to you, Sookie. The wounds are bad and it's going to take time for them to heal in your weakened state." I stopped speaking and made sure I had her full attention before continuing. "I can help them heal faster if I clean them as Dr. Ludwig did."

Her wide cerulean eyes stared expressionlessly. Again I was struck by the imbalance of our blood tie. At this moment I would have given anything to know what was going on behind those haunting eyes.

"You want to lick my back?"

"Yes," I stated bluntly. "My saliva has similar healing properties. It would further reduce the risk of infection."

Her eyes closed as she considered my proposition. I knew it had the potential to be an awkward situation, especially for her, but I believed the benefits outweighed any potential embarrassment.

"If you think it would help, I would appreciate it," her soft answer came a moment later.

"I think it will, and we have nothing to lose by trying, right?" I didn't know if I was trying to convince her, or me.

"Right."

"I'm going to start now," I spoke softly as I leaned into the closest wound, starting just below her shoulder. I didn't want a repeat of her reaction to the doctor.

"Okay," she whispered back, her eyes tightly squeezed shut.

My actions were intended to be purely clinical in nature, but I couldn't help my body's reaction any more than I could control the thoughts running through my mind as my tongue thoroughly tasted wide swaths of her damaged skin. The wounds probably would have repulsed most human men, but the beast inside me purred in satisfaction as I tasted the torn flesh. Her elevated heartbeat and softly panted breaths provided the soundtrack for my fantasies.

"How bad are they, Eric?" she asked as I moved to the third jagged tear. "Tell me the truth. Are they going to scar badly?"

I sat back reluctantly and looked objectively at the wounds. They would fade with time, but the smooth expanse of her back would always bear scars from this night.

"There will be scars," I replied slowly, trying half-heartedly to stop the next words from spilling over my lips. "A small amount of vampire blood would seriously reduce them."

"I don't think that's a good idea," she shook her head, her hair spilling down across her face. I swept it back as she continued, "You had a lot of my blood tonight. If I have yours now, it would be our third exchange."

Her concern was interesting. I wasn't sure if she was protecting herself, or me.

"You don't need to drink it. I can apply it to the wounds directly." I rationalized the offer of my blood as repayment of the debt I owed for her care. I didn't want to think about it any deeper at this moment.

"And you are sure it wouldn't strengthen the tie?" she pressed weakly.

"Positive." I wouldn't have made the offer otherwise. She was intriguing, and I wanted to know more about her with every minute I spent with her, but I wasn't ready to budge on my stance against anything permanent between us.

"If you think it will help," she agreed quietly.

"It will," I replied, bending forward once more to finish cleaning the last wounds on her back. She twitched as I touched her again but settled down quickly.

My thoughts were an abominable mess as I sat up straight and brought the tips of my index and middle fingers to my mouth. My fangs dropped into place and I punctured each fingertip, making sure the wounds were deep enough to provide an adequate amount of blood. I tried not to think too much as I coated the long tears in her flesh with a thick coating of blood; thousand year old vampire blood; the very same blood which had never been spilled for the sake of a human in all of those long centuries.

The blood had stopped flowing from my fingertips by the time I reached the middle of the third wound. I drew more blood before proceeding to paint it onto her flesh. She wouldn't be scar free, but my blood was working as promised. The torn, jagged edges already looked healthier. I could only hope the festering wounds I carried would heal as easily. This night was indelibly scarring me, too.

"We need to let it work for a few more minutes," I stated when I was satisfied. I stood and collected the dirty washcloths on the floor. "I'll get some clean towels. I will be right back," I promised as I went to the ladder leading into her home.

Clean towels were a necessity, but if I were honest with myself, I simply needed to be away from her for a few minutes. Every minute with her was evoking complicated thoughts and unwanted emotions. Feelings were a dangerous luxury, one I could not afford.

"Let's see about these bandages" I said some time later. Her back was clean and coated in a thick antibiotic cream Dr. Ludwig had prescribed. The wounds were already looking considerably better after their blood bath. I placed the large cotton pads across her sore flesh before carefully taping the edges with what promised to be ouch free medical tape.

"Thank you Eric" she said as I taped the bandages in place.

"You're welcome Sookie," I replied easily. Bandaging her was the easy part of this evening.

"For everything, I mean" she continued. "You saved my life. I won't forget that."

"Just returning the favor," I stated plainly.

"No," she shook her head and winced at the pain the simple movement created. "I took you in, but I didn't save your life. There's a difference."

"Semantics," I retorted. "We can't tell what might have happened to me without your intervention. I could still be wandering, lost and alone."

"Whatever," she replied tiredly. "Thank you anyway. I appreciate what you've done for me."

I just nodded and continued taping her back, probably taking more time than necessary. I didn't want her thanks; I wanted to continue with the belief all of my actions were simply repayment of a debt.

"Dr. Ludwig left a shot of painkillers. I'm going to give it to you now. You need to get some sleep."

"Can't sleep. It's night," she mumbled in an ironically sleepy voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "You're hurt, Sookie and need to rest."

"I'll sleep in the morning," she remained stubborn.

The needle slipped into the freshly swabbed skin on her smooth hip. The drugs would knock her out regardless of her irrational wishes. Her body needed to rest in order to heal.

"I'm not going to sleep," she protested.

"I know. You can just lie there if you want," I pacified her in as soothing a tone as I could muster. "I'm going to shower and get ready for bed. Dawn will be here soon. Do you want me to cover you before I go?"

"No. I told you, I'm not sleeping yet," she answered petulantly. A faint smile crossed my lips as I walked away. She'd probably be dead to the world when I returned.

I let the water pour over me as I attempted to organize my thoughts. The delectable telepath had gotten under my skin and, worse yet, into my head. Ignoring her existence, and the unusual position she'd occupied throughout my entire fucking existence, was an easy concept in the beginning. Before I'd spent any time with her, she was easy to dismiss.

Being with her, though, tasting her blood and feeling her naked flesh, had proven to be disastrous to my plans to remain detached and aloof. I wanted her. I had no problem admitting my attraction to her. My desire to claim her body wasn't the problem. It was the fucking feelings – raging, out of fucking control feelings – which bothered me. Intellectually, I knew I would never be able to fuck her without engaging even more detestable emotions.

My body, however, didn't give a sweet fuck what my head wanted. My cock throbbed at the very notion of slipping into her warm depths. My hand fell naturally to wrap around my swollen flesh. My control had been nearly impeccable all evening. I'd remained considerately soft and unaroused all evening as she lay naked and trusting in my arms. All the pent up lust flooded through my system as I let my control slip and my natural urges take over. I stroked faster and faster as I imagined her luscious body writhing in ecstasy under me, on top of me and all fucking over me.

The tiled wall supported my head as I came in spurts, Sookie's name spilling from my lips in a strangled gasp. My muscles twitched and shook as the powerful orgasm ripped through me. I leaned against the wall for support as the water washed away the evidence of my incredible pleasure. My mind remained blissfully blank as I relaxed under the warm spray for a few minutes.

Towel wrapped around my hips, I returned to the bedroom, fully expecting to find Sookie in a drug induced, well-deserved slumber. What I found was anything but. She was crying softly, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. Her sobs were accompanied by the sweetest, most unexpected scent: The heady perfume of her arousal saturated the air.

Suddenly unsure how to proceed, I stood in the bathroom door and simply stared at her. My eyes closed instinctively as my nostrils flared and I took in a very deliberate, deep breath. My cock stood at full attention again, refusing to bend to my will. Her aroused state was almost too much to bear.

I walked slowly and cautiously toward her, clearing my throat unnecessarily as I got close. She sobbed harder, turning her face toward the wall.

"Sookie?" I spoke quietly when her sobbing just continued. "What's the matter? I thought you'd be sleeping before now."

"This is all your fault," her muffled voice came from the pillow her face was pressed into.

"What did I do?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I told you I couldn't sleep at night," she cried, fresh sobs wracking her small frame. "You knew those drugs were going to make me sleepy."

What the hell was going on with her? Initially I'd written off her desire not to sleep to the drugs ravaging her mind. But coupled with the extreme exhaustion she'd shown before the attack, I wondered if there were more to the story.

"I'm sorry you got sleepy," I placated her gently. I sat beside her on the bed and again wiped tears from her face. I dried my hands on my towel before wiping again. "Why can't you sleep, Sookie?"

"I just can't, okay?" she replied in a grumpy tone.

"Why not?" I pressed. "What keeps you awake?"

"You!" she yelled at me in a weak voice. The anger pouring off her was anything but weak, however. "You keep me awake."

All I could do was stare. "How do I keep you awake?"

"Because I can't keep control of the bond when I sleep," she muttered dejectedly while I frowned at her explanation.

"I see," I said slowly, even though I did anything but. "I keep you awake through the bond?"

"Sort of," she mumbled. I could see the color rising in her cheeks.

"Sort of?" I echoed.

"I don't want to talk anymore," she said. Her mouth and eyes closed as she ignored my presence.

"Do I have any clothes here?" I asked.

"There's pajamas in the drawer," her hoarse voice came after a moment. I slid the black cotton pants over my hips and fastened the drawstring around my waist as I tried to figure out her meaning. It was getting me nowhere.

Without giving her the option to complain or say no, I swiftly lifted her and pulled the covers back before depositing her back onto the bed. I got into the bed on the other side, lying on my side to face her. Her tousled golden hair spilled everywhere and I smoothed a couple of strands back from her forehead. Her eyes opened, heavy lids hanging over her blue orbs.

"I wish I didn't love you," she whispered softly.

My hands moved to smooth more of her hair from her face. A reply eluded me. What does one say to such a statement? I wish you didn't love me, too? It didn't seem appropriate, nor very honest. There was a part of me which rejoiced in the fact this stunning creature loved me. I had no plans for returning the sentiment, but I wouldn't deny the knowledge was heady.

"I can see how it would be difficult for you," I acknowledged in just as soft a voice. She was just on the edge of falling into a drug-induced stupor.

She snorted. "Yeah, sure. Let's call it difficult."

The waters were deep and churning, threatening to pull me under with one wrong word. "I don't mean to undermine your feelings," I tried to explain.

"It's okay, Eric. I don't expect you to understand."

"I don't really understand," I revealed. "I've never loved anyone before."

"You loved me," she stated simply.

Her words echoed in my mind as I contemplated her claim. Godric and Pam had both told me I loved her, but again, it was an easy concept to dismiss. It was a ludicrous notion, as far as I was concerned. Vampires didn't love. I didn't love. Her complete, unswerving conviction gave me pause where my maker's words had fallen flat.

I watched her struggle to keep her eyes open and my thoughts turned once more to her problem sleeping. What didn't make sense was how aroused her body was, even as she sobbed. My expression became grim as my thoughts suddenly fell into place.

"How do I keep you awake, Sookie?" Her eyes fluttered as she tried to focus.

"I don't want to say," she said, but her blushing face told its own story.

"If you tell me what it is, maybe I could change whatever it is," I coaxed her gently, running my fingers through her hair.

"Not likely," she retorted sharply.

"How do you know unless you try? Just tell me what it is, Sookie."

"Why is it so important to you?" she questioned with a frown.

"I don't know," I replied. "How long has this been happening?"

"A few weeks," she replied.

I stared at her. "You haven't been sleeping at night for weeks?"

"Not much in the daytime, either," she confessed with a small yawn.

"Tell me," I commanded. She blinked.

"You aren't going to quit, are you?" she muttered.

"Probably not," I grinned at her. "Tell me, Sookie."

"I can keep you blocked pretty well when I'm awake, but not when I sleep. I don't want to feel you, so I try to stay awake until daylight."

"What don't you want to feel?" I pressed deeper.

"I love you, Eric. Losing you hurts me every day and every night. Barely make it through the day, sometimes," she admitted freely. "I have to deal with that every day, while you go about your life. I don't want to feel you moving on with your life, too."

"You can feel me having sex?" I asked the question I was dreading. It was the conclusion I'd reached earlier. I'd hoped I was wrong.

"Yes. Lust travels well through a blood bond," she replied defiantly. "Your passion for your fangbangers wakes me."

Once again, words failed me for a moment as I took stock of the situation. Guilt flowed through my veins; it was unfamiliar and unwelcome. A bitter laugh escaped me as the irony of the situation took root in my head. It may have been a random fangbanger I was fucking, but the fucking joke of it all? Just like tonight, it was always her in my mind when I came. It was her who engendered the passion she resented so fiercely.

"There's no fangbangers here tonight," I pointed out.

"I'm sure you wish there was," she retorted hotly.

"Not at all," I responded honestly.

"Are you dense?" she hissed at me, her eyes bleary. "I can feel you, remember? I know how much you want to be somewhere else getting laid." The last words were practically spit at me.

"No, I don't," I replied slowly and firmly. "What you felt was all about you, Sookie. It was you I wanted to be with as I showered."

Her eyes widened as they focused on mine. Her look, while clearly drugged and exhausted, was full of suspicion.

"You don't really want me" she rejected.

I laughed lightly. If she only knew what I wanted to do to her. "But I do," I countered. "You're very beautiful."

"That's just my body," she scoffed. "That's not me."

"You are what makes your body so beautiful," I told her. "You are the light that shines so brightly."

"Don't say things you don't mean, Eric."

I sighed. It was a very human habit I seemed to favor in her company. "But I do mean it, sweet Sookie," I brushed the back of my hand across her smooth cheek. I was treading in unfamiliar waters here. It was my fervent hope the drugs would muddle this conversation in her memory.

"Why can't you just love me again?"

"Vampires do not love," I replied automatically.

"That's bullshit," she cried. "You loved me before! You don't want to love me. You just want to fuck me."

"I do want to have sex with you. But you are right about the rest. I do not want to love you. I do not know how to love you." I knew my honesty was brutal, but I didn't want to give her false hope. "You're a liability as it is."

"I pray every night for your memories to come back," she whispered brokenly. "Every night I pray to God to bring you back to me. I want the Eric who loves me, the Eric I love. You look like him, and you sound like him, but God is ignoring my pleas. You are not him."

"No, I'm not," I agreed. "I do not know him. I do not recognize myself in this weak vampire you all describe. I would not do what he did."

We lay there in silence for long minutes, simply looking into each other's eyes.

"What do you feel when you are with me, Eric? Do you feel as cold as you sound?"

"I don't like having feelings," I responded coldly.

"Like 'em or not, you have them," she responded tartly. "What are they?"

"You tell me," I challenged boldly. "You can feel me."

She shook her head briefly. "Not only do you have feelings, you have a ton of them. I can't come close to figuring you out. Besides, I keep the bond closed as much as I can."

My eyes closed briefly as I savored a small victory. At least I knew she wasn't reading me like a book.

"I don't really understand what I feel when you are around," I admitted with some resentment. "You confuse me. I want your body, yes, but the more I get to know you, the more I understand what everyone sees in you."

"I'm not so bad, am I?" she asked.

"No, you are not bad at all. But I don't want to be that vampire you all knew. I don't want to remember all those years of horror and torment. I don't want to be some pathetic tortured soul."

"What are you talking about?" Her face screwed up in confusion. "We only met a few months ago."

It was my turn to look confused. Did she not know?

"Did your Eric ever tell you about his past?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>What do you think? Worth the wait?<strong>_


	60. It's Time

_**Thanks so much to all of you who've shown such love for this story. I'm continually amazed by your response!**_

_**As always, these characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball, not me.**_

* * *

><p>"Jesus, Sook, you got anything more than rabbit food in here?" Jason's voice was muffled by the refrigerator he was wearing as a hat.<p>

"Sorry Jase, but I haven't done much cooking lately," I spoke tersely, not that he noticed. This was the first I'd seen of Jason in ages. He was making it patently obvious he only stopped by because he was hungry.

"Oh, well," he sighed, re-emerging from the depths of my nearly empty fridge. "I'll have to get me a burger over at Merlotte's later."

"That's probably a good idea," I agreed.

"So what's up with you quitting Merlotte's, Sook?" Jason really wasn't the best brother in the world. I'd left Merlotte's a couple of months ago now.

"I got a better job," I lied easily. Once I figured out how to do it, I was planning on making sure Jason had some of the money I'd inherited, but I wasn't going to tell him about it now. And technically, I did have another job; it wasn't my fault if my employer didn't bother to actually have me work.

"Must be paying pretty well," Jason sized me up. "Is that how you paid for all the work on the house?"

"How else could I afford it?" I sidestepped easily. Jason never noticed.

"Place looks good," he acknowledged. "So who you working for now?"

"Eric Northman," I told him. "He's a businessman in Shreveport." I didn't see the sense in telling Jason anything more. Everyone in Bon Temps would know I'm tangled up with vampires before sundown.

"Damn," he whistled. "You gotta go all the way to Shreveport?"

"That's where his offices are," I sidestepped his question once again. Truth was, I hadn't heard anything from Shreveport in days. Not since the awkward awakening Eric and I had together the evening after my attack. A nurse was dispatched to care for my wounds, but I was left alone as I healed.

"So you going to be staying here, or moving to Shreveport?" he asked with a glint in his eyes. I followed his eyes as they trailed around the room, taking in the new cupboards and counters. Anger began to bubble in my blood. Even though he'd inherited Mama and Daddy's house, which was worth a hell of a lot more than Gran's old farmhouse, Jason also felt entitled to Gran's house, too. His thoughts made it clear as day.

"I'll be staying here," I replied evenly. "It's why I fixed the place up, Jason. This is my home."

"Just wonderin'," he hastily interjected. Even though I wasn't listening, I knew Jason well enough to know he was reciting the 5X timetable in his head. It was the only one he had memorized and I'd heard it plenty all through my life. It was Jason's go-to for keeping me out of his head.

"Where are you working today?" I asked, mostly to change the subject. Jason worked with the Renard Parish Public Works department on road crew. He and Hoyt Fortenberry, my brother's best friend since kindergarten, both went to work for the parish after high school. In many ways, Jason was still the fun-loving, hell-raising kid he was in high school.

"Filling those potholes down the end of Hummingbird Lane," he replied. It made sense. He probably wouldn't have come by if my house wasn't closest for a free lunch. "I gotta go, Sookie. Hoyt and the boys are at Merlotte's."

"Sorry I had no lunch for you," I replied insincerely. If he'd at least called and made plans to see me, I would have gladly made him whatever he wanted.

"See you around, sis," he hollered as he sauntered through the backdoor, slamming it behind him.

I went back to the living room and reclaimed my position on my new couch, curled up under Gran's old afghan. I been napping away my day when Jason had arrived, and I had nothing better to do but go right back to sleep. Still tired from the Maenad attack and the damage the poison had caused, it didn't take long to slip away once more.

_I walked for hours, my feet tirelessly falling one in front of the other to take me to my destination. Darkness had fallen, quickening my steps. The stars above were my only illumination in the dark, moonless sky._

_Cresting a small hill, a wide, sprawling field came into view. The scent of wildflowers permeated the air as my feet stealthily took me to the edge of the meadow to skirt along the tree line. The hustle and bustle of the night creatures faded into a soft hum as my short, shallow breaths echoed in my ears. I let my eyes close as I tried to center and calm myself._

_Nothing could interfere with my path. This night was too important to squander. Too much hung in the balance._

_I waited and watched; hoping and praying my quarry would appear. Seconds ticked by slowly, each an agony of unknowing. Every additional second gave me time to wonder; time to question. What I was asking would have immediate repercussions, I was sure. But the repercussions could also ripple through time, wreaking all kinds of unforeseen havoc._

_Seconds stretched into inevitable minutes; minutes stretched into hours. My legs, like my spirits, were giving up. Admitting possible defeat, they crumpled beneath me until I was sitting on the soft earth. My back rested against a gnarled tree trunk, grateful for the support after two straight days of arduous travel and no sleep._

_I watched the eastern sky cast off its mourning blacks and reveal the hints of blue heralding the morning light. My eyes fluttered closed as indigo gave way to sapphire. Streaks of fuchsia were showing when they opened again. Most of my view was blocked, however, by a handsome, boyish face just inches in front of me. Mysterious dark eyes peered into my very soul as the vampire took silent measure. I sat as still and as silent as I could, praying he would find my cause worthy._

_"It's time," he proclaimed._

_"Time for what?" I questioned, my eyes on the rapidly brightening horizon._

_"Wake up, Sookie," he said, his eyes still staring deeply into mine. I frowned at his words. He made no sense. "It's time for you to know."_

_"What do I need to know?"_

_"How Eric was made."_

I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest. Sitting up, I pushed the afghan from my clammy, sweaty body. I've dreamed of Godric many times now, but this one was different.

'_It's time_,' he said.

Could he mean it? Every other dream had him proclaiming it wasn't time. Even though it was 'just a dream', I knew there was no such thing. Dreams have played an important role in my life. Godric appeared to me before I'd met him in person. I knew in my heart and soul there was something he knew which would change everything.

For better, or for worse, was the question. Although, I thought with a snarly attitude, things could hardly get any worse. Could they? How could the story of Eric's turning change anything? Eric had already told me of the circumstances himself. Either way, I knew I was going to have to tell Godric of my dream. Perhaps it would mean more to him than it would to me.

I was shocked to see the sun had set as I slept, meaning I'd gotten at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep. Pushing myself to my feet, I stretched out the kinks in my back before heading to the shower. Darkness meant the vampires were up. Pam would know where to find Godric.

My time in the shower helped me put some things into perspective. My relationship with Eric was at a complete standstill, but that didn't mean I had given up all hope. I wasn't sure what we had was salvageable, but there were some positive signs. We were both still attracted to one another, even if he was still finding others attractive, too. As fervently as I wished it had been Pam to care for me, and see me in my vulnerable, drugged state, Eric had shown such utter tenderness and care, it was worth him seeing me at my humiliating lowest. No matter how he protested to the contrary, I knew he wouldn't have done the same for just any asset.

He'd cared for me that night, in more ways than one. He'd saved my life. He'd arranged for the best care for the circumstances. He'd held me and cared for my wounds all night. There was even an offer to stay at his home; an offer I was sure had never been made before. A vampire's resting place was sacred. It was a meaningful, telling offer.

His emotions had been raging out of control, but the concern and worry I felt assured me he did in fact care for just me. The others were too vast, swirling and erupting too rapidly for me to make much sense of how he was feeling, but even through the pain and the drugs, I could sense his attraction, even though lust was conspicuously missing from the equation.

It gave me enough hope to provide the courage to keep going; to continue to love him. But I had to face the fact that he wasn't going to capitulate easily. He was firm in his belief he was better off without me, and after hearing the unbelievable story he'd told me that night, I even wondered if it were true.

The secret my Eric had been hiding from me fell nonchalantly from this Eric's lips. I listened silently, but with growing incredulity as he'd related a tale so far-fetched and unbelievable, I wasn't sure I did believe it. A tale of a tortured vampire brought low time and again through his long life by a woman. A woman Eric believed to be me, or some sort of twisted, prior variations of me.

While I struggled to accept the veracity of his story – who wouldn't? – I struggled just as hard to keep my tumultuous emotions from my face. I didn't need this Eric to witness the pain and hurt I was feeling. In many ways, I could see why my Eric struggled with telling me this story himself, but it still stung to acknowledge he didn't trust me enough to reveal his deepest secrets.

I'd bared my soul to him, confessing all the things about me that were difficult to understand and accept. I'd trusted him, but he hadn't shown me the same. Sam had similarly betrayed me, but Eric's knife went much deeper. It also made me question the entire foundation our relationship had been built on.

He'd hinted, here and there, to a deeper meaning behind his actions, but his slick assurances had kept me gullible. I was willing to concede coincidence brought him to me that fateful night, but his every action after was based on a lie. He'd fed me blood to save my life, yes, but he'd only cared enough to do so because he somehow believed I was a reincarnation of the woman who'd haunted his existence. His protection wasn't so much about me, either, as it was about his desire to thwart whatever demons he associated with me.

It hurt my head to think about all of the ramifications. The trickle-down effect was frightening when you had too much time on your hands. And all I'd had lately was time.

Was he ever truly interested in me, Sookie Stackhouse? Could it all have been about breaking this curse he's carried for his entire vampire existence? I shook my head in frustration. I wanted to scream out loud. No. I knew there had been more. I felt how much he loved me. The blood told the truth; the bonds between us did not lie.

Pulling on a pair of dark-washed jeans and a plain white tank-top, it occurred to me that the only time I could be absolutely sure of Eric's feelings had been during the time he'd lost his memories. There was no doubt that Eric and I fell in love. There had been no ulterior motives with him. What I had felt from him mirrored what I'd felt from the real Eric, but with differences. Amnesia Eric had loved me whole-heartedly, without reservation, but it was a simple, uncomplicated love. He had been a simple, uncomplicated vampire.

The real Eric was far from simple and uncomplicated. And our relationship couldn't be described in those words, either. Even without Eric's crazy story, our relationship had been complicated. His feelings for me were complicated – they should be complicated. My feelings for him were so complicated; even I practically needed a damned map to navigate them.

"Sookie Stackhouse. How are you, my friend?" Pam greeted me warmly.

"I'm healing well, thank you," I replied honestly. My wounds were nearly healed, largely thanks to Eric's blood. I was even back to wearing a bra.

"You had a close call there," my vampire friend stated. "You are lucky Eric got to you in time."

"I am," I replied. "I'm still a little confused how he found me. What was he doing that far out?"

"Oh, well, you'd have to ask him. I don't rightly recall."

I just laughed. She was vampire. She could recall anything she wanted. She just didn't want to say.

"What can I do for you, Sookie?" Pam got down to business.

"Well, first of all, I'm starting to miss you. Maybe we could go out some evening? Shopping, or dancing?" I asked. She was a friend, no matter her intricate relationship with Eric.

"Both," Pam laughed. "Let's go buy something to wear out dancing."

"You got a deal. Let me know when you are free."

"I will. Now, what else is happening? Are you in trouble again?" she asked.

"No, I am not, thank you very much," I defended myself. "I'm not always in trouble, you know. I was actually hoping you could put me in touch with Godric."

"Godric, hmm?"

"Yes, Godric," I replied. "Do you know where he is?"

"Yes."

"Can you get a message to him?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Will you get a message to him?" I asked with a touch of exasperation.

"I could," Pam stated.

"Will you ask him to call me or come see me?" I asked hopefully.

"Is everything okay, Sookie?"

"Nothing to worry about," I assured her. "I just need to ask him something."

"I will get the message to him." Pam paused, the silence lengthening. "Are you alright?"

I blew the breath out of my lungs before answering. "I'm alright, Pam. Been better, but I've been worse, too. I'm surviving."

"Have you spoken with Eric lately?"

"No."

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"Yes, at some point." I wanted to talk to Godric first. Even if he denies my dream means anything to him, I still wanted to get his perspective on Eric's story, if he was willing to share it.

"Don't wait too long, Sookie," Pam warned. "The situation needs to be resolved."

"I'm not the one standing in the way," I retorted hotly. "Eric is the one who doesn't want to remember."

"He was easier to deal with when he was cursed," Pam muttered.

"I've been meaning to mention something, Pam," I began. "I was talking to Claudine about what was going on with Eric and she made an interesting point. She thinks Eric might still be cursed."

"Explain," Pam requested brusquely.

"She wondered if the first spell was maybe a smokescreen, and the reversal might have triggered the true spell," I said quietly. "She pointed out that the wording of the curse, being near his heart's desire and not knowing, was more applicable now than it was then. He easily found his way to me the first time. Now, supposing of course that I am his heart's desire," I interjected hastily, "he cannot remember anything about me, or anything even remotely related to me."

There was silence for a minute while Pam contemplated Claudine's theory. "You were absolutely his heart's desire, Sookie. Do not doubt that," she stated firmly. "I will call Octavia. She may be able to tell us more."

"Even if we find something, he doesn't want to remember, Pam," I reminded her.

"If we find something, we don't need him to agree," she replied firmly. "We may be able to do this without him, just like last time."

"Will you get in trouble?" I asked nervously.

"If his memories come back, I'll get a raise and a big, fat bonus," she cheerily replied. "And his eternal thanks."

"Well, talk to Octavia, then," I urged her. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but if there were even the slightest chance my Eric could come back to me, I was willing to risk anything. My heart and soul were already on the line. What else did I have to risk?

"I'm going to go call her now," Pam replied in a distracted tone. I knew her mind was already moved past this conversation. "I'll let you know what she has to say. And I will make sure Godric gets your message."

"I truly appreciate it, Pam." I told her sincerely. "Go and make your calls. Let me know what you find out."

"Yes," she replied. "Good-bye." The phone clicked and the call was disconnected. I slipped the cherry red phone into my back pocket.

Wandering through my empty house, I had to finally admit my life was an unmitigated mess. My relationship was in tatters. I had no job to keep me busy. I hadn't seen my friends in God only knows how long.

I still wasn't sleeping much, even though Eric kept to his side of the bargain and I felt nothing lustful coming through the bond. I don't know how he managed to block it, but I appreciated it, even if I was still feeling everything else from him.

I wasn't eating much, either. My appetite had dwindled to the point I was forcing myself to eat for nourishment only. I hadn't bothered to weigh myself, but I was sure I had lost at least ten pounds. Any other time and I would have been ecstatic with losing any weight, but I was so lethargic I couldn't really bring myself to care.

Flopping down onto the couch, I closed my eyes and sighed. I'd been so happy, truly happy, for the first time in my life. I was luckier than I had a right to be, I suppose. It was the old cliché of having all your dreams come true, except in my case, they literally did. My perfect dream man, my vampire lover, was real. And he'd been mine, as I was his.

And then it all went to fucking hell. Looking back, I knew I kind of overreacted to Eric hiding stuff from me. He was in the wrong, no matter how painful his confession may have been. I loved him, though, and I should have trusted him more. I should have sat down and had an adult conversation instead of running away. I was tied to him in a permanent, binding way.

Perhaps if we'd completed the bond, he'd be able to at least feel me. Still being able to feel him in my blood was both heaven and hell. Maybe if he could feel me, too, he'd understand we belonged together.

The cushion I'd been hugging bounced off the wall as I threw it in a fit of anger. I was pissed he was putting me in this position. I sounded like a bloody stalker, for cripes sake! He had been clear and firm about his intentions. He wasn't interested, but I was plotting ways to make him fall for me again. Fucking pathetic.

A frustrated yell built in my throat and I opened my mouth and set it free. I screamed and screamed, even stamping my feet for good measure, anything to rid myself of the torment and anguish in my heart. My throat was throbbing by the time I slid down the wall and propped myself on the polished floor boards. Knees to chest, I curled into a ball and let tears flow silently down my face.

How was I ever going to fix this mess? Was it even possible for one person to do it? Confusion reigned over me; I was paralyzed with fear and indecision. I had no one to talk to that would really understand what I was going through. There were almost too many Eric's for even me to keep up with; my dream vampire; the real Eric; the sweet, amnesia Eric; and now this new Eric. My feelings for each of them were unique to each of them, but I had loved the first three. Could I even love this new Eric?

Physically and emotionally exhausted, I reluctantly pulled my rear end off the floor. I was aching all over, but resisted taking any more of the pain pills Dr. Ludwig had given me. The pills made me loopy, and I didn't like the feeling. They were mostly reserved for before bed now; the couple of hours of drug-induced sleep were practically the only hours I'd gotten lately, if you didn't count today.

I was idly flipping through channels on the television when the soft knock came on the door. I dropped all my shields and checked the brain outside my house. Vampire.

"Godric," I greeted him with a smile.

"Good evening, Sookie." Godric's dark brown eyes took in every nuance of my appearance. I knew I still didn't look my best, but I wondered how bad it really was. I hadn't bothered to wash my face or look in a mirror since my meltdown.

"Would you like to come in?" I held the door wide and stepped to the side. Godric nodded graciously as he walked through the door at human speed. I closed the door behind him and stood face to face with Eric's maker.

"How are you?" he asked. "I was saddened to hear of your encounter with the maenad."

"It wasn't fun," I admitted. "But I'm doing much better, thank you."

His eyes searched my face again, lingering on my puffy, bloodshot eyes. He nodded once and let the matter drop, even though he clearly saw through my fib.

"Would you like to sit down? Can I offer you a True Blood?"

"I'm fine, but thank you for the offer," he declined. "But I would enjoy sitting with you."

I smiled brightly, hoping to bolster my 'I'm fine!' pretense, as I led him to the living room. I pushed the old afghan to the side and sat on the couch. Godric claimed the opposite end; he sat quietly, his hands folded in his lap. As usual, he was clothed in loose, light clothing; his linen tunic and pants somehow added an air of maturity and authority.

"Pam said you wanted to speak to me," he said. "What can I do for you?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Not a great place to leave it, I know, but I had to end somewhere. Their conversation takes the entire next chapter.<strong>_

_**What do you think?**_


	61. The Girl in the Meadow

_**While it's taking some time for our lovers to get back on track, the story marches on. I take some pretty big liberties with Norse mythology in this chapter, twisting the roles to fit my purposes. By no means should you take my explanation as fact, but rather extremely loose interpretation.**_

_**A huge thank you to everyone supporting this story. Each and every one of you rock! I am utterly humbled to acknowledge that this story hit the 1000 review mark – VAlady, you were the 1000th review! I would have laughed off any suggestion of such numbers when I first started writing, but you guys have proved to be totally awesome to me, and this story. Words will never adequately express how much your support means, especially on those days when you just don't feel like writing. I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart.**_

_**As always, these characters do not belong to me.**_

* * *

><p>"Eric told me about my doppelganger," I told him. "I don't know what to make of it, but it is clear that he believed it. The real Eric, I mean," I clarified.<p>

"He believed it because it is true," Godric kindly, but firmly, pointed out.

"You believe it, too? You can honestly say I've been reincarnated through the years simply to torture Eric?" My eyes were wide as I stared at him.

"It was not to torture Eric. Is that what he told you?" I nodded and Godric shook his head sadly. "That was not the case. Whatever pain Eric felt was his own doing, nothing that you, or any of the others, did to him. I regret the fact you learned the truth in this manner. He shouldn't have been the one to relay this story, at least not in his current state."

"Well, he did and all I have to go on are his words."

Godric studied his folded hands before raising his eyes to mine.

"My son is no fool, but yet he acts the part," he spoke quietly, his tone contemplative. "I wish things were different, Sookie. You made him happy, you know. You changed everything."

"I'm sorry, too," I acknowledged. "I love him, Godric. I miss him terribly."

The vampire inclined his head in response. "I know you love him. You must to still care after everything he has done."

"I thought he loved me, too," I whispered. "But now I wonder if he ever cared for me at all. It was her he was interested in, not me."

Godric shook his head. "No, Sookie. Eric didn't care for any of the others the way he cared for you. It was never like that."

"What was it like, then?" I asked. "Even Eric said his interest in me was 'twisted'. How did he put it? I'm nothing more than the latest addition to the fucking herd of blonde haired, blue eyed girls in his life?"

"Eric was being sarcastic to prove a point, Sookie. You are not the same as those other women."

"But he thinks I am."

"No," Godric shook his head emphatically. "The first thing Eric told me about you was how different you were; how different he was with you. You must not waste time second-guessing everything. The very fact his blood flows through your veins is proof you are not just one in a number."

"Then, please, by all means tell me what I am, Godric, because I certainly don't know," I didn't mean to sound as snippy as I did. "I'm sorry. I'm a little on edge."

"Perfectly understandable," he assured me kindly.

"I really need someone to start telling me the truth. The whole truth. The real truth. I feel like I'm constantly playing catch-up with my own life."

Godric regarded me seriously. "You must understand that much of what I know has been related to me by Eric. This is his story. I can relay the facts as I know them, but even I can only hazard guesses as to what Eric felt through all of this."

"I'll take what I can get," I replied simply.

"When Eric was a human, he became enamoured with a girl he met. He was young, you would call him a teenager today, when he met her. It was never meant to be, though, and the girl knew it, even if Eric railed against it. After a couple of days, the girl disappeared, never to be seen again. Eric went about his life, and eventually forgot about her. He became a true warrior and a good man. He was prepared to marry the girl his father chose for him when tragedy struck and his brother was killed in combat. Eric stepped up and did what was customary; he married his brother's widow and took on his children as his own."

I nodded my head. Eric had told me of his marriage.

"Many years later, after he became vampire, Eric encountered someone who looked enough like the girl he'd dallied with as a youth. Before his curiosity was sated, the girl was killed, quite violently. Even then, he moved past it, assuming it was nothing more than a coincidence. A couple of decades later, he was proven wrong as he again saw someone bearing a remarkable likeness. And once again, she was killed before he could save her."

"This cycle continued for some time; a new sighting happened every few decades. And without fail, despite his best efforts, these women all died. Eric took each death as a personal failure, even though I don't believe there was anything else he could have done in each circumstance."

"And then there was you." Godric's eyes engaged mine once more, his intense gaze seemingly trying to view my very soul. "With you, the cycle was broken. He saved your life that night, Sookie, but if you want the truth, it was probably you who saved him."

I looked away first, staring at the remote sitting on the coffee table instead. It seemed safer, somehow. I thought of all he told me, questions forming in my mind. I excused myself and got a drink, returning to the living room with a glass of water. I sat on the couch and sipped my water for a minute.

"Did he ever give blood to any of them?"

"Not in the way you are asking." I raised my eyebrows in inquiry and he continued. "He tried to turn one. It didn't work."

Shock rippled through me. "He wanted to keep one of these women with him?"

"Again, not in the way you are imagining. It was mostly a last ditch effort to save her life, even though it was a calculated decision."

I left that one alone for now. "Was he ever involved with any of them?"

"No. There was no relationship between Eric and any of the others."

"Did he have sex with them?" I asked bluntly, my cheeks flaming.

"No, he did not," Godric stated decisively. "Other than the first one when he was human."

"And you are both certain that I am one of them?" The words felt strange on my tongue.

"Yes. Physically, you are very similar to the others."

"Similar, but not identical?"

"Not identical, no. None have been identical to one another. Your mouth is fuller; your eyes are a deeper blue, perhaps. Your hair is perhaps blonder; your cheekbones different. The differences are minute, but they are there. You are unique, Sookie."

I smiled wanly at his attempt to bolster my self-confidence. It didn't really work, but I had to admit feeling better just knowing I wasn't a carbon copy of some long-lost teenage love.

"You have had a thousand years to think about this, Godric. What do you think is going on?"

He shook his head. "There are mysteries in life which cannot be explained."

I considered his words for a moment before rejecting them outright. This was more than some random incident.

"I don't believe you," I said slowly. I swallowed before looking at him. "In all this time, you haven't at least formed theories? You haven't given it any consideration?"

Godric looked at me with reproach glowing in his gaze. "Of course we have considered all options. But there is no viable answer. As you pointed out, we've had a thousand years to think about it," he finished dryly.

"Is there anything else I don't know?" I asked, not really knowing if I would get an honest answer.

"There is much you don't know," he informed me. "There is much I don't know and much even Eric doesn't know."

"I dreamed of you again," I told him.

"Did you?" he murmured back.

"Yes, I did. You told me it was time." I watched him very carefully, looking for any sign my words meant anything to him.

"Time for what?" he asked with a blank look on his face. I hadn't missed the nearly imperceptible tightening of his shoulders and back, though.

"You said it was time to tell me how Eric was made."

This time, he did react. A jolt ran through his slight frame; at the same time, his deep, bottomless brown eyes turned to me. They were wide, filled with a look I could only describe as amazement, even though the word didn't fit perfectly.

"Is there something I need to know about Eric becoming a vampire?" I asked when he didn't reply. I stifled an unexpected giggle. It was funny to see such a cool, unflappable vampire ruffled, no matter how serious the situation.

Godric sighed. It was unexpected coming from him. A look of resignation settled on his boyish features, but I would swear I saw a flash of relief in his eyes, if only for a moment.

"I really didn't know if this day would come," Godric said, although his words may have been self-directed. His eyes settled on mine and I felt like he was glamouring me, even though I knew better. He was simply that intense.

"Please, Godric. Tell me what I need to know," I implored softly.

"My maker is a seer. She is perhaps the most revered seer in history. Do you know Greek history?" I nodded my head. History I was always good with. Gran had instilled a natural love of history and it was a subject I could study and master on my own. "Your history books will have educated you about her role as Oracle to Alexander the Great, but she was much more than that. She had deep, life-long connections to the supernatural world which your history books will never tell you about. She was deeply revered, and even in her old age, she was considered worthy by the ancient vampires of her time."

I nodded my head slowly, tucking my hair behind my ear as I contemplated his revelation. I'd read about the Oracle before. I wasn't sure where this history lesson was taking me, but if there were a test at the end, I would be ready.

"The Ancient Pythoness made only three children. My brothers have both met their true death; one in defense of our maker. Even though she had the power to command an army of progeny, she chose only to make those vampires she saw in her visions.

"A hundred years before I was even born into my human existence, my maker had a vision which led to her turning me. A little over a thousand years ago, she called me back to her side. It was at this time she revealed why she had chosen me so long ago. She explained parts of her vision to me, explaining what must be done. To this day, she has never told me the entirety of her vision, but my path was clear."

"I set out that very night. I didn't want to fail her. Time was of the essence; I had a deadline to meet." He paused, his eyes reflective in the dimly lit room. I sat still and quiet, afraid to interrupt. "My maker, though revered and respected, is often underestimated. Because her gift is so great and all-encompassing, many believe it to be her only gift. They would be wrong, of course. Her gift of sight pre-dated her turning.

"The earliest vampires, though considered primitive by today's standards, were in fact the most gifted in our history. These gifts have diluted through the years and generations, but very old vampires, or those from a very pure line, will always be stronger and more gifted. Her vampire lineage is the purest in existence.

"One of her gifts is the ability to project her thoughts into the minds of others. Combined with inherent glamour skills, it is a formidable gift to possess. In this case, it was a simple destination she showed me. I followed the stars as she'd instructed and reached my journey's end after three months of travel."

"Your maker told you to turn Eric into a vampire?" The whisper escaped my lips before I could clamp them shut. I hadn't meant to speak out loud.

"No." His reply was clipped and he directed a pointed look at me before beginning his story once more. "My maker had told me I would meet someone; a woman who would have an unexpected proposal for me. She appeared three nights later; her frail, feminine appearance belying the warrior's heart and soul she possessed. She approached me without fear; it was almost as if she expected to find me."

"Who was she?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"What do you know of Norse mythology?" Godric asked with a sideways glance at me.

"I know a little," I replied.

"I'm sure you have heard of Valhalla," he looked at me and I nodded. "What of its counterpart, Folkvangr?"

"Half of the fallen warriors go to Odin in Valhalla; Freyda receives the other half at Folkvangr." I wondered if Eric still hoped to go to his gods if he should meet his true death.

"Yes. The Valkyries collect Odin's share, but Freyda's are collected by another entity. Have your history lessons taught you anything about the norns?"

"They were the beings who wove the fates of man, weren't they?" I didn't tell him I'd learned none of this in school. I read a couple of books after meeting Eric, not that I was going to tell Godric that.

"That is correct. There were many norns, but all descended from the three original norns; Udir, Verdandi and Skuld. Skuld and her daughters were responsible for collecting Freyda's fallen. Their daughters, too, were norns, but they were also the Vordyr and Fylgja."

My forehead wrinkled as I listened to his story. Valkyries and norns, sure. But the rest of it? I was drawing a blank. I must have looked puzzled, because Godric continued to explain.

"The Vordyr and the Fylgja were both thought to be guardian spirits, but were in fact descendants of Skuld. All of her daughters were norn, vordyr and fylgja; they were one and the same, interchangeable roles. A norn would appear at the birth of each child and weave the threads of their fate. For reasons of their own, a norn could chose to weave a small bit of their own soul into the fate they were weaving, therefore becoming either vordyr, or fylgja, depending on their intent."

He paused and gave me a minute to absorb the information he was giving me.

"Kind of like a guardian angel, then?" I asked. My fairy godmother was an apt analogy.

"In a way," he agreed, nodding his head. "The norns didn't truly decide the fates of men, they simply wove the threads provided by the gods. Although wrongly cursed by many for weaving an unpleasant fate, the norns could not change the fates they wove. They could choose to watch over a soul they feared for, or were interested in, but they did not control their fate."

"Could they intervene, or help out?" Claudine was my protector, as well as godmother.

"They were not meant to interfere with fate," he replied.

"But this woman you met, she was the norn who wove Eric's fate, right?" I guessed.

"Correct."

"Why would she want to talk to you? Did she think she could talk you out of turning Eric?"

Godric's eyes closed and he was silent for a minute. I tried not to fidget as I waited. I reached for my water instead and took a mouthful. Godric resumed his story when I laid my glass back on the table.

"Her intent was quite opposite." His eyes opened and searched for mine. "She asked me to become Eric's maker."

My jaw dropped and I gaped at him. "I don't get it," I stuttered out after a moment of shock.

"I didn't, either, until she explained her motivations. Even then, if I had not been sent to her by my maker's vision, I would never have considered her plea."

"What was her motivation?"

"You must understand, Sookie, that Eric's fate was woven at birth. His becoming vampire was part of that fate."

"But if she hadn't asked you to turn him, you wouldn't have known who he was or where to find him," I pointed out. "He wouldn't be vampire without her revealing him to you."

"Yes, he would have," Godric insisted in a gentle tone. "He would have still become a vampire, only I would not have been his maker."

I sat and thought about what he was saying. "Another vampire would have turned him?" Godric gave me a nod. "Okay, now I'm confused. If it was fated for Eric to become vampire, wouldn't it also be fated who his maker would be?"

"Yes, his maker, just as the fact of his turning, was woven into the threads of his fate at birth."

"Which one of you was fated, then? You or this other vampire?"

"It is not a simple question you ask," he said. "The norn explained how, while weaving the threads of his fate, the main thread snapped just before Eric was turned. As she repaired the torn thread, a faulty connection, if you will, enabled her to see an entirely different fate for Eric; one where he still became vampire, but where I was his maker.

"As the thread became reattached, the alternate fate disappeared, leaving her to weave the remaining threads of Eric's life as a vampire. The differences in the two fates upset her, leaving her torn. She had no choice but to weave the threads as intended, but she chose to become both vordyr and fylgja, weaving fragments of her soul into the very fabric of his fate."

"What happened to make her approach you?" I asked.

He gave me a pointed look. "She fell in love."

I gasped. "With Eric?"

"Yes."

I don't know why I was surprised. I'm positive she's not the first, nor the last, woman to fall in love with Eric, but it still stunned me.

"Even though she wove many other fates, she couldn't stop thinking of the one she'd woven for Eric. She was haunted by the unspeakable cruelty she knew he would endure. She'd never woven the fate of a supernatural before; her fates, though not always pleasant, were all woven over the course of a normal lifespan."

"There came a day when she gave into temptation and decided to meet him; she thought perhaps she would find him to not be worthy of her concern. Instead, she found herself falling in love with the handsome and charismatic young man Eric was. Her torment only increased until she made the fateful decision that had her approaching me to turn Eric before his intended maker could."

I pondered what it must mean for such a powerful creature to love a mortal man, fearing for him before his induction into the harsh realities of the supernatural world. How bad was his intended maker for her to risk the wrath of the gods themselves in order to save him from a lifetime of bondage to a cruel maker?

How much had she loved him to do what she did?

"Does Eric know?" I asked, uncomfortable with where my thoughts were leading me.

"No."

I looked at him with surprise. Even though I'd questioned it, I truly expected a different answer.

"Why have you never told him?"

"I couldn't," he replied simply.

"What do you mean?" I frowned at him.

"I was forbidden to speak of these events by my maker."

Vampires were magically bound to obey any command issued by their maker. This I understood. But why would she issue such a command? I shook my head as I thought.

"Why would she command you not to tell him?" I questioned.

"It is not my place to question my maker's decisions," Godric said in a gentle, even tone.

"How were you able to tell me?"

"My maker told me this day would come. She said I would know when it was time." He regarded me with a grave expression. "Tonight, I knew it was time. I could feel her command lessening in my blood."

"Why was it important for me to know, and not Eric?" I didn't know what the hell was going on anymore. None of this made sense.

"Because that girl in the meadow?" He waited until he had my full attention before continuing. "That girl was you, Sookie."

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there you have it. Some of the story explained. What do you all think?<strong>_


	62. Yield to Me

_**Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments on the last chapter! I love reading the reviews and I'm sorry I'm not better at responding to all of you. It comes down to a choice most nights - write or respond and since I'm sure most of you would prefer a new chapter over a response, that's the choice I make most nights. Even if I don't respond to your review, trust me when I say I truly appreciated you taking the time to leave it.**_

_** For those of you concerned that Eric only cares for Sookie because she is a reincarnation of a lost love, I don't believe this to be true, and there are multiple times throughout this story that Eric has stated his interest in her is unlike any other. Godric answered Sookie honestly in the last chapter when he told her Eric didn't love the others. Eric's only real emotional entanglement was with the first, the norn Godric encountered, but even he dismisses those feelings now as basically boyish infatuation. He may have noticed the others initially because they looked like her, but that's not why he loves Sookie. As written, Eric was never involved with any, save Sookie.**_

_**Hope that clears things up. Thanks for sticking with this story.**_

_**As always, I don't own Eric, or any of the others.**_

* * *

><p>"I've started to make plans for the Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations," Pam offered. We were just wrapping up our weekly bar meeting. Business was booming, despite Pam's insistence I'd been bad for business lately. If anything, my surly attitude seemed to be attracting them in droves.<p>

"Fine, but no decorations until the week before." There was no fucking way I was enduring a repeat of last year when she decorated the first of December, arguing it was the start of the holiday season.

"I have a decorating crew booked to start when we close on the fourteenth. The same crew will take everything down on the first." She looked vaguely smug, but I didn't say a word.

"We're already getting calls about tickets for New Year's Eve. I've got a band booked, and we're going to serve champagne at midnight. The drinks will be tinted red, of course."

"Of course," I agreed, laughing to myself. Her eye for detail is what made her perfect for her job. I didn't give enough of a fuck to think about tinting drinks.

"You and Godric both are going to take throne duty throughout the party," she informed me.

"Does he know this?" I questioned mildly.

"Yes. I told him last night," she said.

"He's back, then?" I asked. I hadn't heard from him since he left.

"Late last night," she confirmed.

"Where is he tonight?"

"I think he's with Sookie," she replied without batting an eye.

I sat up straighter and my eyes narrowed at the mention of her name. Pam didn't go out of her way to bring her up, but didn't hesitate to say her name, either. She crossed my thoughts often enough, it hardly mattered any more.

"What is he doing with her?" A spark of jealousy ignited in my blood. I was surprised to feel it. Godric was my maker. I didn't doubt his intentions. I shouldn't doubt his intentions. I should be wondering why I was feeling jealousy at all.

"She wanted to see him," my child informed me.

"Again, why?" She didn't want to see me.

"I didn't ask."

I stared at her as curiosity raged through me, dancing with the persistent jealousy I was experiencing. Even though I didn't remember it or feel it, my body knew my blood was in her. My possessive vampire nature considered her mine, even though I wasn't so sure about what I wanted from the delectable fairy telepath.

I tried to brush it aside and dealt with the final items on Pam's agenda, but I couldn't stop thinking about her. Since the maenad attack, I'd avoided her completely. She made it clear what she wanted, and I couldn't give it to her. She didn't want to love me anymore, not if I didn't love her. I thought it might be better to stay out of her life as much as possible and give her time to get over her feelings before I approached her again, but now I second-guessed every decision I'd made concerning Sookie Stackhouse.

What could she want with Godric? I attributed his unique interest in her to the history he claimed I shared with her, but her interest in him was interesting to me. I knew he liked the girl, but I knew little of their interactions since he'd arrived in Shreveport. Was their relationship such that she could beckon and he would come? I shook my head as I thought about it. There was no likelihood of that scenario, from either standpoint.

I made my way out to the stage to finish my deliberations. I slouched in my chair and narrowed my eyes menacingly, hoping to deter the more daring and persistent fangbangers in attendance. It had been a while since I'd chosen any of them and their restlessness was beginning to show.

The sad fucking truth was I didn't want any of them. It was nearly impossible to even think about sex without thinking of the beguiling fairy telepath and her bountiful curves. The situation was even more fucked since she'd pointed out what she had to feel in the bond. Knowing she was feeling my lust – and hated every minute of it - was my downfall.

I wanted to fuck her, plain and simple. I was smart enough to know there'd be no way she'd ever agree to that if she could actually feel me fucking others, even if it were her I pictured as I did. Abstinence felt strange, but it was a necessary evil. If it meant I might have a shot at fucking her out of my system, I was willing to give it a try. I had gone longer periods without sex before.

I growled menacingly as a skinny, bleached blonde fangbanger worked up the courage to approach me. The growl, along with the icy glare in my eyes deterred her from her path; it also served the dual purpose of informing the others I was in no mood for fucking, or being fucked with. A couple of die-hards kept their hopeful gaze on me while the rest moved on to find more welcoming vampire company. I returned to my thoughts, delving once again into the dangerous world of one Sookie Stackhouse.

She represented nothing but danger, nothing but trouble, but yet, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I couldn't stop myself from wanting her. What I felt for her was far from the simple lust I wished it to be, even though I can't really explain it, even to myself. Everything I felt for her was foreign; untranslatable into a language I understood. But I did understand the want I felt for her.

I also understood the anger I felt for her. I didn't want to feel anything for her. I didn't want to be tied to her. I didn't want to be tied to anyone at all, but with the history I've supposedly had with her, it's ludicrous to be bound to her in any way. It's even more ludicrous to be bound to such a beauty and not be able to enjoy the benefits usually present in these situations.

Even as I understood the anger I felt toward her, I knew it was mostly self-directed, or it should be. She made her position clear, as did I. But where she seemed to be staying true, I was floundering. There was no other way to describe it. She was holding fast and I was crumbling fast. The want I felt for her was bordering dangerously close to need at times. The crazy moments of need I felt provoked me to think crazy thoughts; crazy thoughts made me want to do crazy things.

The crazy thoughts occurred with more frequency since the night I'd spent caring for her. I'd seen so many sides of her that night; so many traits I admired. I found myself genuinely liking her, which in itself was a rare occurrence. I didn't like many people. But the frustrating beauty I should avoid like the plague? I liked her.

Time passed quickly as my thoughts flew and I was pleasantly surprised when Pam appeared at my side, signalling my time was done. I rose and quickly exited the stage, ignoring the desperate looks being cast my way by the disappointed throng of fangbangers in my wake. Not a single one of them could offer me anything to sate the desire burning through me.

The drive to Bon Temps passed quickly, once I'd made the snap decision to go. It was late and I knew it was completely irrational – I didn't even have a good excuse for showing up on her doorstep – but I didn't care. I knew there was every chance she'd refuse to even speak to me, but I didn't care. I was full of curiosity about her meeting with Godric, but there was more than that. I didn't have the slightest fucking clue what, but there was more.

The lights were burning in the living room when I pulled up the drive. Godric's scent lingered in the air, but I knew he was not within the house. He was gone.

The walk to the front door took longer than it needed to, but I was desperately casting about my mind for an excuse to be here. I was still clueless as I approached the front door.

"Eric," she said when she answered the door.

"Sookie," I replied, inclining my head and giving her my best smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked without a trace of a smile on her face.

"I came to see you."

"I can see that," she replied irritably. "Why did you come to see me?"

"Can I come in?"

She sighed, her eyes narrowing just slightly as she looked at me. "Why don't you tell me why you are here first?"

I stood on her porch, my hands shoved into my jeans pockets. I didn't know what to tell her and settled on exactly that. "I don't know why I am here."

"You drove all the way to Bon Temps, but you don't know why?" she asked with suspicion in her tone.

"Sort of," I admitted. "I came to see you."

She just looked at me for long moments, her blue eyes fathomless.

"Why did you want to see me, Eric?"

"I don't know," I said softly. Other than wanting to fuck you until you pass out, that is. "I just wanted to see you."

"So you came all the way here just to see me? Nothing else?" Her gaze was direct and I fought the urge to squirm under it.

"Yes," I replied simply, cursing my sudden inability to prevaricate.

"Why should I let you in?" she asked in a challenging tone.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Should I?" she retorted.

I laughed. "Probably not, but I promise I mean you no harm." I smirked at her. "Scout's honor."

An extremely unladylike snort was accompanied by a derisive eye roll. "Like you were ever a Boy Scout," she scoffed. Stepping to the side, she opened the door fully. "You may as well come in. I don't want to stand here all night."

I smiled graciously, hiding my triumphant smirk until her back was turned.

"Okay, so what?" She turned from the door and faced me, hands on hips.

"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Tell me what you really want, Eric. You didn't drive all the way out here for nothing," she challenged me.

"Why do you find it hard to believe I would make the drive to see you?" I asked, this time out of genuine curiosity. I didn't have the faintest clue how she views me, as I am now. I didn't think her opinion was terribly high, however. I couldn't blame her.

"Since this is the first time you have visited…" she allowed her words to trail off pointedly.

"Touché," I grinned at her. "Shall we make up for lost time?"

"This is not the time to be getting fresh with me, Eric Northman." Her eyes narrowed as she spat the words at me, even though there was no real heat in her tone.

"You misunderstood, Sookie. I merely meant maybe we could spend some time getting to know one another." I smiled sweetly at her before ruining the effect with a wink. "It does make me wonder, however. When would be the time to get fresh with you?"

My question was greeted with another eye roll. "How about half past never?" she replied snidely.

I laughed at her obvious displeasure. "Come, Sookie. It was only a joke." I smiled and nodded my head toward the living room. "Can we at least sit for a while and talk?"

She looked like she was ready to say no when a small sigh whispered from between her luscious lips. She gave a slight nod before walking towards the living room door.

"It's not like I'm going to sleep tonight, anyway."

She curled on leg underneath herself and sat in one of the armchairs on the far side of the room. I could clearly see she'd been sitting on the couch before I arrived; her water glass was still sitting on the table, condensation on the glass. I didn't comment and sat on the couch so I was facing her.

"Are you still having trouble sleeping?" I asked.

"Sometimes," she replied. "But not really because of you. Whatever you are doing to, um, block what you're feeling is working. That hasn't been a problem." Her cheeks were turning pink and her eyes were doing an excellent job of avoiding mine.

"I haven't been doing anything, Sookie," I replied honestly.

"You haven't?" she asked with surprise. Her wide eyes met mine finally. "That's strange, because I don't feel that part anymore, even if my control slips."

I had wanted her to come to this realization herself; I had assumed she would have already reached that conclusion by now. It came as a surprise to me that she thought I had any control over the bond I couldn't feel.

"No, I mean I haven't been doing anything at all," I tried to explain. "With anyone else."

Her blue eyes wore a look of suspicion, even as her face showed some surprise. "You haven't been having sex, you mean?" she finally asked after a long moment of silence.

"I have not," I confirmed.

Her eyes closed for a moment and a look of concentration passed over her features, gone almost before it could be seen. It took a moment, but I realized she was checking the bond to determine my truthfulness. Her ability to do so pissed me off, but I understood her reasoning. The fact I couldn't feel her, or the bond, pissed me off even more. It shifted the power in her direction.

"Why not?" she asked before clapping her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, dropping her hand and her eyes. "I didn't mean to ask you that. It's none of my business."

"You don't need to be sorry, Sookie." Her eyes remained averted, but I continued. "I have not been having sex because none have appealed to me."

"Yeah, right," she muttered. "What happened, Shreveport run out of fangbangers?"

"Nope. There are new ones every day," I retorted.

She looked at me in silence for an unnervingly long time. "If you are trying to play some kind of game with me, you should know I don't take kindly to being played."

I gave her an exasperated look. "What kind of game do you think I'm playing?"

"I don't know, but there's something up if you've given up having sex."

Her opinion, in this instance, was mostly correct. I had been abstaining in an effort to curry favor, but I didn't think it was working for me yet.

"I haven't given up on sex," I clarified. "Perhaps my tastes are changing. Who the hell knows?"

"Maturing in your old age?" she asked in a sugary sweet voice. She grinned when I frowned at her.

"Didn't anybody ever teach you to respect your elders?"

"Yes. She also taught me that respect must be earned." Her face bore a slightly smug expression. I was developing an appreciation for her quick wit.

"I will endeavor to earn your respect," I replied solemnly. "And your trust."

"Telling me why you are really here would be a great step in that direction," she informed me.

"What do you want me to say? I told you the truth. I wanted to see you."

"Why tonight?" she asked, her golden brows drawing together in a deep frown. "Why not yesterday, or the day before? What made you decide to visit tonight?"

What did it matter? I couldn't understand her persistence, but I made the decision to tell her the truth. With my blood swimming in her veins, my choices were limited anyway.

"Pam mentioned Godric was coming to see you this evening," I paused, watching for her reaction. There was nothing on her face. "It started me thinking."

"What did you think?" she asked, her expression still mostly blank. Again, I was envious of her ability to sense my emotions.

"Why did you want to see him?"

"That's between he and I," she replied.

"How well do you know Godric?" I questioned her.

"Not very well," she admitted. "I only met him after he came to Shreveport. I've spent a bit of time with him, but not a whole lot."

"And yet, you called him and he came," I mused out loud.

"What's your point?" Her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive pose.

"It made me wonder," I repeated myself.

She looked at me for a minute before her expression began to lighten and an unexpected peal of laughter erupted from her mouth. I sat and stared at her, waiting for her to regain her senses.

"Oh my God!" she gasped out. "You're jealous!"

I got up from my seat and crossed the room until I was standing in front of her. I leaned in over her, bracing my hands on the arms of the chair. My face was just inches from hers, but she didn't flinch. Her laughter had stopped, but the expression on her face suggested she still found my emotions amusing.

"You find me amusing?"

"It's funny you should be jealous," she spoke with defiance burning in her eyes.

"I am not jealous," I spoke slowly.

"Then what are you?" she asked just as slowly.

I straightened and walked away, stopping before the window. I stared out into the darkness as I tried to get a grip on my thoughts.

"I don't like having feelings," I said coldly.

A bitter laugh came from her. "Welcome to my world," she said sarcastically. I looked over my shoulder to find her staring at my back. She was experiencing feelings she didn't want, too, but I found I didn't care for her empathy.

"There's nothing to be jealous about, Eric, not that you have any right to be jealous," she spoke softly, her wide blue eyes pulling me in. "I am not yours."

"But you are," I protested automatically. "My blood runs in your veins."

"That doesn't make me yours," she explained in a slow, patient tone. "It made me his."

"The blood is the same," I replied stubbornly, not sure why I was making this argument right now.

"The blood is the only thing the same," she rebutted.

"It's the only thing that matters. Blood is everything."

"Maybe to you, but not to me. It was his blood I took, not yours."

"And he is gone," I stated bluntly. "Probably gone for good."

"And what about if he's still there?" she argued.

"He's not. I'm sorry, but he is gone. I am what remains."

"I think you are wrong. The witches curse is still affecting you." She shook her head, her blond ponytail waving behind her head.

"The curse was broken," I reminded her.

"But what if it wasn't?" she asked. "What if you are still cursed, Eric?"

My brain paused it's whirring pattern and focused on her words. For reasons I couldn't begin to explain, an odd sense of hope rose inside me. I pushed it down forcefully, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. Or any idea.

"Why would you say that?" Like everyone else, I assumed the curse was broken; my missing memories simply a side effect of the magic.

"Because I've actually been thinking about why you would have regained every memory except those of me. Because it doesn't make sense, especially if you consider the wording of the original curse."

"Explain," I requested brusquely.

She shifted in her chair, pulling her knees up to her chest and sitting sideways to face me. The stray strands of hair escaping her ponytail were tucked behind her ears before she looked straight at me.

"It's just a theory, you understand," she began with a disclaimer, "but if you think of the wording of the curse "to be near your heart's desire and not know it", then it doesn't add up. You found me within an hour of being cursed, and we actually fell in love again during that time."

There was logic in her train of thought, but I wasn't sure what to make of it. She continued after a moment and I gave her my complete attention.

"Now, after you are presumably 'cured' of the curse, every memory of me is gone." Her eyes turned soft for a moment, perhaps a little sad. "You're literally near your heart's desire at this very moment, and you don't have a clue. I know you don't believe it to be like that, but trust me; the you who was cursed loved me. I know he did. Your child knows he did. Your maker knows he did. I was his heart's desire just as he was mine."

My eyes remained locked with hers during her impassioned speech. She was so sincere in her beliefs and she was right; Pam and Godric had both expressed similar sentiments about the importance of my feelings for her. But the question of the moment was whether she was correct in her theorizing. I'd been working under the assumption the curse had been broken; if there was any reason to assume I might still be cursed, it would need to be investigated.

I'd been against involving the witches in any attempt to regain the lost memories, but if I were still cursed, there may be other repercussions to concern myself with. It was a sobering thought; to be cursed and not be aware. If there was a chance she was right, I would have to deal with it, even if it meant regaining all the memories of her.

The memories would be both a burden and a blessing; a complication I didn't want, but an explanation I needed. The memories of her I could perhaps live without - perhaps - but every memory connected to her in anyway was also gone. This meant that memories and times with both my maker and child were also gone. The more thought I'd put into the missing memories, the more disconcerting I found the experience to be.

"You don't need to respond if you don't want to, but know that I am right," Sookie spoke, startling me from my thoughts. I wondered how long I'd been lost to them. It was also disconcerting how often and how easily I let my guard down around her.

"I was just thinking about what you said," I told her. "I find your idea has some merit. I will have the witches look into it."

"I think they already are," she replied. I looked at her questioningly until she explained. "I told Pam my theory already. She was going to investigate it further, including contacting the witches."

"Why did she not tell me?" My eyebrows drew together as I stared at her, demanding an answer.

"You made it clear you didn't want to remember," she said pointedly.

"Not wanting to remember, and not wanting to know I might still be cursed are two different things, Sookie," I stated firmly.

"It is only a theory, Eric," she said calmly. "We have no reason to believe it is anything more than that until we hear from Octavia."

"What was your plan then?" I asked. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I guess it depended on what we learned."

"Does this have anything to do with Godric being here?"

"No."

"You're really not going to tell me, are you?"

"No."

I stared at her with frustration mounting. I was curious earlier. Now I was questioning his visit even more. I wondered if I would have more luck questioning Godric.

"Is that the real reason you came here?" she asked me.

"It is why I was thinking of you tonight, but not why I am here," I replied honestly. "I told you – I came to see you."

"And I want to know why," she replied with a stubborn glare.

"Fuck, woman, what do you want from me?" I gave her a matching glare before turning to pace the length of the room. "I don't know why I wanted to see you. I just fucking did!"

Her eyebrows rose slightly during my outburst, but she waited for me to calm down for a moment before responding.

"Did you think I was going to have sex with you?" she asked.

"No," I responded honestly. "I might have hoped it, but I didn't believe it."

"There's only one way I would ever have sex with you," she stated after a minute. My eyebrows, my hopes and my cock all rose simultaneously. It wasn't a reply I was expecting.

"Then by all means, please tell me," I grinned at her, giving her a sexy wink.

"You would have to yield to me, Eric."

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there you have it. A look at Eric's outlook at the moment. What do you think?<strong>_


	63. Dream a Little Dream

_**So as to avert any confusion, I will state now that this chapter is a dream sequence with Sookie and her dream vampire. I know dreams are usually a bit of a cop out, but in this case, dreams have played an important role and will continue to do so.**_

_**I hope you like it! Happy Valentines Day!**_

_**As always, I don't own these characters.**_

* * *

><p>Eric's big hand stroked soothingly down the length of my back as I tried to catch my breath. We were tangled in the bed sheets and each other; our limbs thoroughly entwined. My heart was still beating erratically as my body came down from the orgasm induced high he'd left me in. His chest was my pillow and I pressed my lips to the sparse, soft blonde hair covering his firm pectorals.<p>

"I love you, Eric," I told him dreamily. We'd made sweet, tender love together, reaffirming the connection between us.

"I love you, too, Sookie." His lips pressed to the top of my head as his arms tightened around me.

"I've missed you," I confessed. "I've wanted to see you so badly."

"I'm always here for you, lover," he tried to reassure me.

"But you're not," I said before yawning. "There's too many Eric's to count at this point, but not you. I haven't seen you in ages."

His chest rumbled beneath me as laughter boomed from him. He rolled us over so we were lying side by side and looked into my eyes.

"There's only one Eric, lover," he spoke seriously, all traces of laughter gone. "It's always me. I'm always there, no matter what."

"You're so different, though," I said. "It's different with you. I know our love is real."

"You are the only woman for me. I will always love you," he vowed with a tender smile.

"That's what I mean, Eric. The real you wouldn't be saying that. He only wants to have sex with me. And probably drink my blood, too, but he doesn't love me. And he doesn't want to love me, either," I tried to explain.

"The 'real me' as you say, is trying to protect himself from something he doesn't understand. He didn't get a chance to know you before learning of the bizarre, unhappy history he had with you."

I sat up, surprise written all over my face. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do," he replied smoothly. "I told you, lover. There is only one Eric. I am him; he is me."

"You knew all this time and you didn't tell me?" I was aghast at the idea. I believed this Eric was the one I could count on for complete honesty.

"It never came up," he replied simply and I frowned at him, my anger rising.

"It never came up? That's your answer?" I asked incredulously. "That's a pretty poor answer, mister!"

He sat up so he was facing me. His hand came up and cupped my cheek, his eyes meeting mine.

"Have you ever wondered how these dreams work, lover?"

"Of course I have. What do you mean, though?"

"What happens in your dreams is up to you, lover. You decide what happens; you decide what I tell you," he spoke earnestly as he looked deep into my eyes. "I have no control over your dreams, my love. I couldn't have told you something that you didn't ask about or wonder about."

"Really? But you told me about all kinds of things I didn't know about. You taught me how to speak your language. You taught me how to fight; you told me all sorts of things about your past."

"I used to call you little one in Swedish. You got curious and demanded I teach you. The things I've told you about all stemmed from questions you had. Everything is directed by you, lover."

I pushed my tousled hair from my face and thought about what he was telling me. It made sense in a weird way, but I'd never considered I might be controlling my dreams. They were always just a mystery to me.

"So, you know everything about Eric?" I asked.

He laughed again. "I am Eric. Of course I know everything."

"How come you didn't know about the dreams, then?" I asked reasonably.

"Because they are your dreams, lover."

"You have no conscious memory of these dreams?"

"No. I do not remember when I am not with you."

"But you know everything that has happened between me and the all the real life Eric's?"

"Yes, I do," he nodded. "As well as every moment we have passed together like this."

"Everything you have told me has been true, right? Everything you've told me is real?" I looked into his eyes as comprehension starting sinking in.

"Yes. I have never lied to you," he spoke sharply, a look of affront on his handsome features. "Everything I have told you is real."

"I'm not suggesting you've lied to me," I said soothingly, reaching out to stroke his thigh. His hand captured mine and held it against the bunched muscles. "I'm just realizing that this is as real as real can be. You really are him."

"Did you really think we were separate beings?" he asked with a small frown.

I thought about how to answer that, but finally just started with the plain truth. "I always tend to think of you as different from the 'real' you. You're my dream vampire; all my life I thought you only existed in my dreams. I never realized how real you were until I met you in real life. But the others, no matter how much I understand they are in fact the same man, I can't help but differentiate between the three of them."

"Three?" he asked, his eyebrows twitching.

"The real you, the one I first met and fell in love with. The amnesia version of you, who I couldn't help but fall in love with again. And now there's this new you, one I don't know if I like, never mind love." I ticked them off, my breath catching in my throat as I came to the end. "I miss how uncomplicated it was with us."

"It will be so again," he stated firmly. "I can feel it."

"Are you trying to be nice, or are you really feeling something from him to make you say that?" I wondered how that worked.

"I don't know how to answer that," he responded with a shrug. "I am trying to make you feel better, but I do feel it will be so again. Whether that is his feeling, or mine is irrelevant. We are one."

"You are one in every other way, except when it comes to me," I shook my head, tangled hair sliding around my shoulders. "You know me. You love me. He does not."

"His mind is not true," he stated.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"There is some impairment, Sookie," Eric said, his eyes on mine. "You know he is not in his right mind. As you said, he doesn't even know you."

"Do you think he is cursed?"

He shrugged his massive shoulders, sending muscles rippling everywhere. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my focus on the conversation.

"I don't know. I know everything I have ever known about you, but only when I am with you here. When I am in my own head, there is no way to see the past. It's somehow blocked."

"I think he is still cursed," I told him simply. "You are cursed to forget me."

"You are my heart's desire," he spoke softly, two fingers coming up to slide under my chin. "I will never forget you."

"You are my heart's desire, too." I nodded my head in emphasis. "But you only remember you love me when I dream with you. He doesn't remember at all. I don't think he will ever love me if he doesn't remember."

Eric looked at me for a moment before gathering me in his arms and settling back against the pillows. He stroked my hair away from my face before bending his head to kiss me softly.

"I won't lie and tell you I understand what is happening between us, lover. We have been connected for a thousand years in some way. In all those thousand years, I have never been attached to any of the others who may have looked like you, but were not you. With you, there is a connection which cannot be explained." He paused and placed another sweet kiss on my lips. "These dreams cannot be explained, but yet they are as real as you and I. I cannot help but believe there is no way our story ends here."

"But it is not true that each and every one before me died? What makes you think my fate should be so different?"

"This connection we have is unique to you and I. I never dreamed with the others. I never shared blood with the others. I never loved the others." He took her hand in his and held it to his chest. "They were not you, lover. That's the difference."

"But, Eric," I protested, "right now you – the present you – doesn't know any of this. He didn't share his blood with me, even though he wants to claim me as some kind of prize. He doesn't love me. The way things stand now, there is no difference. Perhaps I'm even in a worse position with him not remembering. At least the real you – the one before the curse – knew me."

As if I didn't have enough to worry about, right? Knowing the history between Eric and I – not me, only someone who looked like me – made me worry for my own safety. The real Eric might have believed he'd beaten the fates this time, but what if he were wrong? He was nowhere to be found these days and the present Eric couldn't be counted on to care enough. From my perspective, the situation was becoming bleaker by the day.

"Then you must make sure he remembers," Eric pointed out reasonably. "Like I said, I remember everything. The memories are there; they've got to be blocked right now. You need to do everything you can to jar those memories. The witches will be limited in what they can accomplish without the original spell."

"What can I do?" I craned my head around to look up at him. "I told you, he doesn't even want to know me."

Eric shook his head in response, his blue eyes locked on mine. "That's not true and you know it. Didn't he come to see you tonight?"

"Well, yes, but only because he wanted to know what was going on between me and Godric."

"Again, lover, that's not true. He could have simply asked Godric. He wanted to see you last night. He hasn't stopped thinking about you lately."

I twisted my body until I was nearly lying on top of my vampire. I cursed the unruly tangle my hair was as I pushed it back from my face again. I folded my hands on his chest and rested my chin there.

"Why do you say that?" I asked him.

Eric laughed again, his body shaking under mine. "Because I am him. His head is my head. I know what's going on in it."

"I'm sorry Eric. It's hard for me to reconcile you being the same person when I've always thought of you differently. It was easy with the real you because you are so much alike, once you get past his tough exterior. But I haven't found the same thing with this new you." I shook my head. "Do you see how complicated it is trying to keep you all straight in my head, but at the same time accept you are all just one man?"

His hands rested on my shoulders and they worked some magic as he spoke, kneading the muscles there until they felt like jelly.

"I'm sorry, too, Sookie. I'm sorry you are going through this, and I'm sorry I'm only here for you in your dreams right now. I can only imagine what you are going through, and I don't like it. I hate that you are hurting. I want to protect you from all of this, but yet, I cannot." He paused, looking solemn. His deep blue eyes showed his turmoil. "Not only can I not protect you from this, what I think might be best might hurt you even more."

Furrows form in my brow as I return his solemn look. "What do you think is best?"

"You haven't tried anything to regain the memories."

"He doesn't want to regain the memories, Eric. What can I do?"

"Try spending some time with him. Talk to him about what happened between you since you met. See if you can get him back to the house in Monroe, too." He looked a little apprehensive about his next words, and as he spoke them I understood why. "Maybe you could try having sex?"

I sat up indignantly, ignoring the fact I was naked and straddling his hips. My hands went to my own hips and I stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Are you really trying to talk me into another man's bed while we're still naked in our bed?"

"No, I am trying to convince you to have sex with me while you are awake," he corrected me.

"Why should I do that?" I asked quietly. I was trying not to be offended by his suggestion, even though I was finding it hard. He might think they're the same person, but I knew differently.

"Because it might help him remember, lover," he explained gently. "The connection between us always seems most intense when we make love, does it not? And don't forget about the light you and I share. Just because it is not between us now doesn't mean it won't be between you when you are awake. It's power – your power – may be the magic needed to restore the balance."

I realized with a start he was right about one thing. The fairy light, or whatever it was, that always surrounded Eric and I as we made love in real life was absent in my dream.

"Why do you think we don't see it now?" I wondered.

"I suspect because whatever ties between us which cause the light are not the same ties that allow us to be together like this." He shrugged his shoulders before leveling a stern gaze on me. "You're trying to change the subject."

"No, I'm not," I defended

"Then let's talk about it. What would you have to lose?"

I gave him a WTF look. "Oh, I don't know. How about my mental stability? My heart? Every ounce of pride I have left?"

"You have to stop thinking of him as an insurmountable problem, lover, or it will be you who will never be able to love him. You have to remember he is me, just as he is the Sheriff you loved, and the cursed vampire you cared for and loved. He is all of us, Sookie."

"He is having sex with fangbangers, Eric! You expect me to ignore that?" I asked angrily.

"Sookie, stop lying to yourself," he chided me. His head gave a slight shake as he looked at me. "You know he isn't sleeping with them anymore."

"Maybe not now, but he was," I protested petulantly.

"So what? You think I wasn't having sex with others before we met? The real me, that is?"

"That's different," I began, only to stop when I couldn't find words to continue. He had a point, blast him.

"It's not different," he said gently. "I didn't know you then, and he didn't know you then, either. Isn't that a fair assessment?"

"Maybe, but -" he cut me off. "No maybe's. It's the same circumstances for him. It's only different for you. The fact that he is abstaining now should be the important part."

"Yes, for God's sake, let's give him the credit he so richly deserves," I muttered sarcastically.

"I know you have been hurt by him, lover. I know you feel as if your trust was betrayed, but if you want to fix this, you have to see it from his side, too." Eric's voice was gentle as he spoke. "His world was turned upside down, too. He has questions for which there are no answers. He is as confused as you are right now."

My shoulders slumped a little as the fire slowly left me. I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling, a sigh escaping my lips. He was giving me so much to think about. Some part of me felt he was perhaps right, but the anger and pain smothered it quickly. I didn't want to look at his situation sympathetically. I wanted to wallow in my pain, but my dream lover was intent on making me analyze my life.

"Do you really think having sex will make either of us less confused?" I looked him straight in the eye as I posed my soft question. "We're not in love, Eric. What I feel for him is remnants of what I felt for the rest of you. Having sex without love seems pointless to me."

"I'm not telling you to have sex, lover. I'm asking you to think of it, along with all the other things I mentioned, in an effort to bring his memories of you back." Eric took my hands and pulled me back into his arms, his hands smoothing down my back once more. "I wouldn't ask, nor would I want, you to have sex with him unless you wanted to. I can't say whether it will make you more or less confused, but it might be worth a try. I know you want him to love you again first, but it might not happen that way this time."

My head rested against his chest again as I listened to his words. It was the last thing I wanted to think about right now. Right now, I wanted to lose myself again in my dream lover. I wanted the bliss to sweep me away to a place where thought didn't matter, only sensation. I had been lost and confused for too long not to take advantage of the love flowing between us. It might be a temporary respite from the decision facing me, but it would be enough.

I would have plenty of time to think when I woke.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Please be kind and remember to review!<strong>_


	64. Maker and Child

_**For reasons that are too long and boring to get into, I had to step away and take a break from fanfiction to concentrate on some real life things for a while, but I am back now and will resume a fairly regular posting schedule again.**_

_**Hope it's worth the wait! **_

_**As always, I do not own these characters.**_

* * *

><p>"Do you have something you'd like to share with me?" Pam sat directly across from me, now doing her very best to look puzzled.<p>

"Not that I can think of," she replied in a guarded, evasive way.

"How's Amelia?" I asked, busying myself with a stack of paperwork. "Talk to her lately?"

Pam's spine slowly but surely straightened as my words registered. Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated my seemingly innocent question until they were mere slits of blue.

"How did you find out?" At least she didn't pretend not to know what I was asking.

"Sookie told me her theory." I gave up the pretense of the paperwork and faced her. "When were you planning on telling me?"

"I wasn't," she replied honestly, giving her manicure a thorough examination before lifting her eyes to meet mine. "Not until I had something to tell you," she quickly amended as my expression darkened.

There was something not ringing true, but I ignored it in favor of further questioning. "Well? What do you have to report?"

"No new information at this time, although I am expecting to hear from Octavia soon. She tells me there may be validity to the theory. She's investigating."

Fuck. I was hoping she'd have something to tell me; preferably a yes or no answer.

"What do you believe?" I asked her.

"I was convinced enough to have the witches look into it," she replied. "It makes sense, if you think about it."

It did make sense. That was the fucking problem. It made so much fucking sense; it was hard to understand how no one else picked up on it. It didn't make me feel any easier to know I'd so casually ignored such a large piece of the puzzle.

"It's always bothered me that you could remember everything but Sookie," Pam added, cutting to the heart of the matter.

"Yes, I believe you said as much," I remarked dryly. She had been vocally opposed to my doing nothing to regain those memories.

"You know, I realize now that Godric and I handled the whole situation poorly when we realized you couldn't remember her," Pam spoke almost conversationally. "We told you too much; we overloaded you with information. We should have just gotten the two of you together." Her mouth twisted even as her eyebrows gave a spastic twitch. "Of course, that might have been an option if she hadn't caught you with your dick in a fangbanger."

"Found, not caught," I corrected.

"What?"

"She found me with a fangbanger," I explained. "To say she caught me implies I was doing something I shouldn't have been."

"You shouldn't have been fucking that fangbanger," Pam replied with a pointed look.

"I realize you might think so but I had every right to fuck whomever I chose. I didn't remember my life the way you, and Sookie, do." I tried to explain my position. "I refuse to feel guilty for living my life as normal. I did nothing wrong."

Pam leveled a measuring gaze on me, clearly thinking of a way to rebut my words. Eventually, she gave up, shaking her head.

"I understand what happened that night completely," she admitted as I knew she would. "But I really don't understand why you refused to even try to make it work when you did find out. Like I said, I know it was a mistake for us to tell you too much, too soon, but I just cannot understand your reasoning."

"Maybe it was too much, too soon, as you say, but every instinct I possess told me to protect myself. It was difficult to believe the story you were relaying; to believe I was the vampire you were describing. He was everything I didn't want to be. I suppose she was a symbol of everything I was afraid of becoming."

My candor must have been surprising. Pam just looked at me with surprise tracing lightly around her eyes.

"Do you know how disconcerting it is when you and Sookie both refer to you in the third person? Whether you remember it or not, it is yourself you're talking about. You cannot become what you already are, Eric."

"But I am not him, Pam," I protested, "He's the one in love with a human, not me."

"She's more than a human, Eric. She's a fairy fucking princess, for fuck's sake!" Mounting frustration showed on both of our faces. I held a hand up and held off her diatribe.

"Knowing all these things doesn't make me feel for her the way you all want me to feel about her," I interjected calmly. I didn't want to get into another circular argument.

"Then how do you feel about her?" Pam asked in an exasperated tone. "You've met her, even spent some time with her. What do you feel for her?"

What did I feel for the fairy princess? My feelings were complicated, but even beyond that, they were complex. I was as interested as I was disinterested. She intrigued me beyond thought; tested my willpower to the limits.

My impromptu visit last night had not yielded the results I expected, even though I had no expectations going in. Her relationship with Godric did intrigue me, but everything about her intrigued me. She was fiery, intelligent, beautiful beyond compare. I would have to be completely stupid, not to mention blind, to not be fascinated by the gorgeous Southern belle. She would have been interesting at any point in my life.

She was a riddle, wrapped tightly in a mystery, surrounded by a fantastic enigma. Everything about her seduced me, drawing me deeper into the mystery that was Sookie Stackhouse. She represented nothing but trouble and heartache, but I found myself playing fucking chicken with her, dodging and weaving her allure while trying to maintain an objective distance. My approach clearly wasn't working.

I'd left her abruptly last night, finding myself at an unusual loss for words. Her proposition had remained hanging where it was, unanswered and nearly unacknowledged. The very notion of me yielding to her was audacious at best. I had a reputation to maintain; a position of authority to uphold. I could not simply yield to a human, even a telepathic, part fairy princess human.

There was a fierce desire burning for her in my veins, a fiery need which nearly eclipsed all reason. My thoughts were under constant attack; visions of her writhing beneath me in pleasure marauded through my brain with increasing regularity. I knew I had to have her, but at what cost?

Fucking her out of my system had been my original plan. That plan went to shit after the maenad attacked her. There'd be no way a night or even a couple of nights with her would be enough. I knew myself better than that. I think she even knew me better than that. But to yield to her; to be hers as he was?

"Mostly, she makes me fear for my fucking sanity," I finally answered with only a touch of bitterness seeping through.

"Men," my progeny snorted. "You're all the fucking same."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I said the same thing to Sookie when the 'other you' had his head up his fucking ass, too." She glared at me. "Do you somehow think it was all fucking roses and moonlight for you two the first time around?"

"Just tell me your fucking point, Pam," I replied in a tight voice. The constant reminders of things I couldn't recall was becoming tiresome, at the very least.

"I'm saying you need to get your head out of your ass, Eric." Her words were as blunt as her expression. "There's something about this girl that seemingly the whole fucking universe sees, except you. You think it's some sort of fucking coincidence she keeps coming back to you; that the universe placed her in your path once more? You are meant to be with her, Eric."

"I don't care what the universe wants, Pam! I don't even know what the fuck that means. I refuse to believe my life is somehow preordained," I growled at her. More than anything, it was that notion I struggled with the most. Everything I had done in the last thousand years was to better myself, further myself. It had not been to prepare myself to be the best fucking mate possible for a human-fairy hybrid.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Pam scoffed. "Your life is no more preordained than mine. But her many reappearances do seem predetermined, at the very least. You may have taught me to protect myself above all else, but you also taught me never to ignore obvious signs. You're trying to do one at the expense of the other, Eric." Her eyes softened as she looked at me with a pleading expression. "She's in your life for a reason. Ignoring her could be as dangerous as embracing her."

"And ignoring her didn't work in the past, did it?" I mused out loud. "And we don't know why she keeps reappearing. There must be a reason, but is it apparent to anyone?"

"Ignoring her has not worked, no. And while we don't know the reason, we do know the outcome if things between you don't improve." Pam's wide blue eyes fixed on mine. "Do you want to take that kind of chance? Do you want to see her dead?"

Revulsion snaked through me, invading every pore with skin crawling intensity. No. I did not want her dead. The light within her was too bright to be snuffed out. Regardless of anything else, I knew in that moment I would do my best to make sure she lived a long, full life.

"I don't need to subjugate myself to a human in order to make sure she stays alive," I pointed out.

"Subjugate?" Pam's left brow arched dramatically over her heavily made up eyes. "Are you really going to go that far with it? You sound like a high-strung Victorian virgin, for Christ's sake! If you want to know the truth of it, you reveled in your monogamous status before. You wore it like some god damned badge of honor."

"A Victorian virgin?" I asked, focusing on the least important part of her speech. The truth was, I could almost understand the appeal of monogamy. For someone who has experienced almost everything, monogamy offered a rare opportunity to try something new.

"Why do I bother talking to you at all?" Pam exclaimed irritably. "You clearly aren't going to take anything I say seriously. This is serious, Eric! You need to focus."

"What the fuck do you want from me?" I spat angrily. "I'm tired of being scolded like a child because I don't love the fairy fucking princess! It's not enough that I think of her constantly; it's not enough that I've given up having sex for her. Nothing is ever fucking good enough!"

"What do you mean, you gave up fucking?" Trust Pam to zero in on the only sex related point.

"I haven't had sex since Sookie was attacked," I explained simply.

"Why not?" Pam stared at me, aghast. "Not that I'm not pleased for you, but why? It's not like you," she finished awkwardly.

"I'd overlooked one pertinent piece of information," I replied dryly, my mind drawn back to the moment she revealed her predicament. "I know we share blood and bonds, but I cannot feel her, or them. She, on the other hand, could feel me all the time."

"Well, of course she can," Pam spoke slowly. "She had better control of the bond from the beginning. What does that have to do with anything?"

"She could feel me with the fangbangers," I told her, my expression turning dark and grim. "My lust came through the bond loud and clear."

"Oh, fuck," Pam closed her eyes and shook her head. "Can this shit possibly get any worse, Eric?"

I asked myself that same question almost every day. So far, the answer has always been yes, this shit can definitely get worse. But I didn't tell Pam that.

"So you've given up sex to what? Impress her?" Pam asked, her tone on the verge of being mocking.

"I won't deny I want her in my bed," I retorted.

"She won't go for anything casual. You know that, right?" I looked at her with a stoic expression.

"She's made her position clear," I muttered. _'Yield to me, Eric.'_

"You've talked about it?" Pam asked, sounding surprised.

"We have," I confirmed.

"You can't mess with her, you know. If you've given up fucking thinking you can trick her into believing you're serious – " I cut her off there.

"I am not trying to trick her," I protested. "I don't think I could trick her, even if I cared to. I might have given up fangbangers to help my cause, but that's not trickery, especially since I had to spell it out for her."

"Was she happy?" Pam asked hopefully.

"She was rather indifferent, to be honest," I replied. Her reaction had been less than impressed.

"She's not going to forgive and forget easily," she advised. "You were her first and only love. She's never had her heart broken before."

"Her first and only love. Now you're making her sound like a Victorian virgin," I mocked her, deflecting from the truth she spoke.

"Perhaps not Victorian, but a virgin nevertheless," Pam commented. My eyes narrowed as I contemplated her words.

"Are you saying she was a virgin when we met?" I asked incredulously. "How would that even be possible?"

"She was a virgin, yes," Pam replied. "I can't believe we forgot to mention that, considering how much we told you about her."

"She's what? Mid-twenties?" I questioned. "She's too sexy, too beautiful to have never been with anyone."

"She's a telepath, remember? Up until she met you, she'd resigned herself to never having a relationship at all. Physical contact destroys her shields; she couldn't hold hands with a human, let alone fuck one."

Fuck me. A virgin? I'd never been considered a seducer of innocents, usually preferring my partners to be more experienced. But I couldn't deny the swell of pride I felt knowing I was her one and only lover.

"She never told me," I replied distractedly.

"She told you, but you don't remember. I think she's right, Eric. You are still cursed," Pam spoke evenly, but I felt her pain in my blood. "It's the only explanation for you forgetting the best thing that's ever happened to you."

I had to give her credit. She knew how to get me to pay attention. Before this moment, Pam had always insisted she was the best thing to ever happen to me. If she were willingly relinquishing her role, she was undoubtedly serious.

Was I being too harsh in my dismissal of all Sookie Stackhouse represented? I wanted her with a fierceness which surprised even me. My physical craving for her was intense; I can only liken it to blood-lust, though it was a separate entity all together. I wanted her and I was willing to do what it took to seduce her into my bed.

Would yielding to her be so unthinkable? She was an intelligent woman. Surely she'd been aware of the proper vampire etiquette when it came to public dealings. I wouldn't have to appear weak if I didn't act weak, or allow her to make me look weak. I'd somehow made it work before, hadn't I?

"Do you really believe in her this strongly?" I questioned.

"I do," she replied with conviction.

"Enough to risk my safety, and possibly yours, too?"

"She is no threat to our safety, Eric." Pam paused and looked me directly in the eye. "If anything, I believe it may be the complete opposite. She may somehow be a key to your ultimate survival, and therefore mine, too."

"Explain," I demanded.

"I can't explain it anymore than to say it is an instinct based on all I know of her, past and present. She is in your life for a reason, and I can't help but believe it is a positive one. Everything about Sookie breaks the cycle, Eric, a thousand year cycle. Everything you have ever taught me tells me she is special; special enough not to walk away from."

My head tilted backwards as my eyes closed. Her theory was completely plausible. As she suggested earlier, perhaps their approach to the situation was wrong. Perhaps if Sookie hadn't walked in on me with the completely forgettable fangbanger, things might have been different.

I would have been intrigued by her immediately, as I had been when she walked through my door. But our conversation, and all subsequent interactions, would have been different. Would I have been so quick to reject her if she'd been beside me when I learned the truth?

I had never felt the desire to acquire a mate – hell, I'd never even wanted the encumbrance of a long-term affair. But I couldn't ignore the fact she would be an admirable partner for a vampire of my stature and position. Sookie was becoming a formidable strength in her own right, and her powers were barely tapped. She was, as Pam pointed out, a fairy princess; the great-granddaughter of the ruling Prince of Fae. The Brigant line was the most powerful in the Realm. Together, we would be a force to be reckoned with, nearly invincible.

I couldn't ignore the bonds already existing between us, either, even though I couldn't feel them. For better or for worse, we were already inextricably linked for the duration of her lifetime. Even though we hadn't completed the vampire bond, it was Godric's belief the tie which should exist was basically acting as a full bond with the Fae bond supporting it. I had no reason to doubt him, especially considering her unusual control over the vampire magic between us.

The situation could be far worse than it was. As it stood, I was permanently tied to a gorgeous fairy princess who was powerfully magical and already in love with me. Surely it was a situation I could work to my advantage. There must be common ground we could find; compromises might be found to make the arrangement tolerable for both of us.

"What do you have to lose, Eric?" Pam's question fell perfectly in line with my thoughts. What did I have to lose?

"I don't know," I shrugged, lifting my head to look at her. "Perhaps I've been looking at everything wrong. I don't trust my own instincts any more. I don't know what's really me, and what's the product of the fucking curse or these bonds I know nothing of."

"We know Sookie was your primary focus before the curse," Pam sagely pointed out. "You know you can trust that."

I'd grown so accustomed to thinking of my pre-cursed self as a separate being, it was startling to realize that if the witches succeeded in removing whatever curse surrounded me, I would again become him. I would be the vampire I'd scorned and mocked; I would be what I feared becoming. It was an unsettling thought, but an idea I must accustom myself to.

If I was going to become him again anyway, what did I have to lose by yielding to Sookie and her demands of fidelity and monogamy?

* * *

><p><em><strong>It's a terrible place to end a chapter, but Eric needs some time to go and gather his thoughts and lick his wounds. Sookie's up next. What will she make of the dream she shared with her dream Eric?<strong>_

_**Hope you liked it! I love hearing from you, so please let me know what you thought.**_


	65. Let's Talk

"So what's happening with you and Eric? Any progress?" Amelia asked. She'd called to fill me in on the progress the coven had made – none, sadly – and our conversation had moved on to more personal subjects.

I closed my eyes and released the air from my lungs in a noisy, breathy sigh. I'd been grateful when she'd called and interrupted me from my endless musings on that very subject. Most of my morning had been spent with a now empty bag of gummi bears and a whole lot of confusion, anger and a little, teeny, tiny smidgeon of acceptance.

"I don't know," I replied. "I told him I won't accept anything less than him yielding to me as much as I would yield to him."

"And?" Amelia asked, a touch of excitement coloring her tone. "What did he say?"

"Nothing." I closed my eyes and pictured his face as he'd stared at me. He'd looked so cold, so unforgiving. It was in stark contrast to how he'd felt, but the look haunted me. "He just walked away."

"What a prick!" she exclaimed. "He doesn't deserve you, Sookie."

"Maybe not, but I still want him, Amelia," I admitted quietly. It was the one conclusion I'd drawn from my hours of contemplation. What I'd had with him before was worth fighting for, especially if he was willing to admit he might still be cursed. "I don't know what to do, but I have to try something. I loved him. He loved me. I can't walk away."

"You're a better person than me," my new friend muttered. "No matter how fucking God-like he is, I'd probably walk away from his arrogant ass."

"There are moments I want to, as well," I assured her. "But I don't think I'd ever be able to move on unless I know I gave it everything I have."

"So what are you going to do to change his mind?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I need to talk to him," I replied, relaying the half-formed plan in my head. "I realized something important last night. I have to see if it makes a difference."

"What do you mean?" Amelia enquired curiously.

"Well, since all this happened, I've been dwelling almost exclusively on what I've felt and experienced," I said simply. "I haven't really considered how he feels."

"You were the one who got hurt, Sookie," she defended me.

"I did, yes," I stated, "but he has had a crazy amount of stuff heaped on him, too. I helped him through the first curse, but I've kind of turned my back on him this time."

"Don't you dare blame yourself for any of this," Amelia exclaimed heatedly. "This is not your fault. He's the one that did wrong, not you."

I stopped and thought about her words, and dream Eric's assertions. As painful as his actions had been, was he at fault at all? Yes, he'd hurt me badly, but there had been no intention to cause harm.

"I need to ask you something, Amelia," I said. "I'm sorry for dumping on you, but I have to talk to someone before I go insane."

"You can ask me anything," she replied firmly. "That's what friends are for."

I smiled to myself. Even though we barely knew one another, I felt strongly Amelia and I would be fast friends.

"Don't jump down my throat, but do you think I over-reacted – rightfully so, considering the circumstances – but do you really think Eric can be blamed for having sex with someone else? He genuinely didn't have a clue who I was at the time."

"Jesus Christ, Sookie! What a question to ask! No, I don't think you over-reacted to him fucking someone else," Amelia answered in a disgusted tone. "I don't know you've reacted strongly enough, if you want my opinion."

"I know you're right, too," I started to explain, "but that's not really what I meant. I mean, he woke that evening not knowing anything had happened. He didn't remember me at all. It was business as normal for him, and as you once pointed out, before me that meant a lot of fangbangers. Can I truly blame him for doing what was normal for him?"

Amelia let out a sigh and she paused for a minute before responding. I was happy this conversation was happening on the phone. Her thoughts must be in overdrive.

"I can see the point you're trying to make, Sookie, but I hate to give him any leeway at all. He broke your heart!" Her voice was sympathetic as she began. "But if you insist on an answer, then, no, you can't really blame the dude. Not for the first time, anyway."

"That's what I've come to realize, too. And I don't really blame him for the others, either. He made his position clear from the beginning. As far as he was concerned, there was no us. He was free and single. And since he's given them up altogether again, I'm not so sure I can continue to hold it against him," I told her. "Not if I ever hope to put us back together again."

"He's given up fucking the bangers?" Amelia sounded surprised. "When? That does make it different, my friend."

"He has," I confirmed. "Eric stayed with me the night I was attacked by the maenad to look after me. I was pretty loopy with the pain meds Dr. Ludwig left for me and I think I told him a lot more than I wanted to. I still don't even remember everything I said, but I did tell him I could feel it through the bond when he was with other women. He hasn't been with anyone since. I know it's because he wants to have sex with me, but it still counts, right?"

"Yes, it counts, Sookie! Do you remember how surprised I was when you told me you and Eric were monogamous? That's because I have never, ever seen or heard of a vampire doing that. And now he's doing it again? Yes, it counts. It counts big time." Amelia sounded somewhat awed.

"He knows I won't have it any other way, though, Amelia."

"Still counts, Sookie," my witchy friend countered. "Hate to say it, but it might count even more. It's not even a sure thing with you, and he's still given up others. And he's caring for you, too. He called Ludwig – which, by the way, is very expensive, she's really not your average doctor – and he stayed with you? Just to care for you? All of it counts to show you he still cares."

"Oh, God, I don't know what to do," I exclaimed with frustration. "I don't want to forgive him for this. I was so hurt by it. But he's trying, which means I should try, too, right?"

"It does count, Sookie, but I don't think anyone would blame you for not forgiving and forgetting easily," Amelia reassured me.

"But if I want to move forward and try to repair this mess, I have to forgive and forget, don't I? There's no way to start over without moving past what happened," I said in a glum tone.

"Look, if you want my opinion, you're doing better than most people would. You're willing to accept he didn't willingly hurt you that badly, which is the important part and mighty freaking big of you. But whether he intended to or not, he still hurt you. If it takes you a little longer to truly forgive him, then so be it. You're only human, Sookie," she told me. "Or part fairy human, whatever you are. Still human emotions to deal with," she finished awkwardly.

"I suppose you're right," I acknowledged. "I don't really feel forgiveness yet, and I know I won't forget any time soon. So, what now? Fake it till I make it?"

Amelia laughed out loud. "I don't suppose the big Viking is used to anyone faking it, but if you feel you must," she teased.

"You know what I mean!" I scolded half-heartedly, trying not to laugh along with her. "I'm not planning on jumping back into bed with him, though. It's going to take time before I'm ready for that."

"I'm sorry," Amelia said soberly. "I'm not trying to make light of what you're going through. But, yes, you might just have to fake it for a while. At least until you know whether or not you can forgive him, whether he's at fault or not."

"That's what I was thinking," I replied. "I'm going to go to Fangtasia tonight. I think I need to talk to him before I can make any decisions."

"Good plan," she confirmed. I could almost picture her head bobbing as she nodded emphatically. "You need to give yourself a chance to figure this out."

"I wish we knew what was happening with the curse," I said wistfully. "If he'd just get his memories back, this would be so much easier."

"We're working on it, I promise. Don't get discouraged. We might find the answer tonight, for all we know," Amelia told me firmly. "One way or another, we'll get his memories back, I promise you, Sookie. We won't stop looking for a way to fix this. Fix him."

"I'm really grateful for everything you guys are doing," I told her sincerely. "Please make sure Octavia and the other ladies know how appreciative I am."

"They know," she assured me. "We all want him restored to normal, Sookie. Eric is important to the entire supernatural community in Louisiana, you know. Everyone is going to give a hundred and ten percent."

We chatted for a few more minutes, mostly about how my training was progressing. She was very excited about my teleportation abilities and made me promise to teleport with her when I was able to do it safely. Her excited squeals did a number on my eardrums, but her exuberance made me smile.

We made plans to see one another the following week when Amelia would be in Shreveport. I told her Pam and I had tentative plans to go shopping and dancing, to which Amelia promptly invited herself along. I hung up the phone feeling excited and hopeful for the first time in too long.

I let my hopeful mood keep me buoyed as I showered and took my time doing my hair. I blew it dry until it fell in silky waves around my shoulders before picking up the curling iron and adding enough curl to give my hair volume. I hemmed and hawed forever over what to wear, before finally choosing a pair of tight, dark-washed jeans and a turquoise blue top, rejecting all jewelry other than the small gold hoops already in my ears. I didn't want to look like I'd dressed up.

It was just after eleven when I walked through the doors of Fangtasia. I didn't really know either of the vampires on the door, but I was waved through anyway. Pam was nowhere in sight, but Eric was hard to miss. Slouched in his chair with a completely indifferent expression on his face, his booted feet stretched out before him, he gave every impression of being completely bored. I didn't miss the systematic way his eyes scanned over the bar, though, keeping track of every movement. I walked toward the bar, just ahead of where I knew his gaze would be.

A supporting column proved to be an ideal spot to stop and wait until his gaze was redirected to the other side of the club. I walked to the end of the bar and ordered a drink, careful to keep my head averted. My little game of hide and seek continued with me moving ever closer while remaining hidden from view. I knew the very moment my game was up; his golden head raised fractionally, his eyes opening wide as his nose twitched, scenting the air around him.

Letting go of the hold I had on our bonds, I took three steps forward and put myself directly in his line of sight. Something akin to happiness rose up inside him when his eyes landed on me, but a hundred other, more complex emotions buffered that single identifiable feeling. He rose to his feet, reminding me very much of another unforgettable experience I'd had at Fangtasia. Like that night, he was dressed head to toe in black; he wore black jeans this night, though, and his skin tight black t-shirt replaced the fitted black shirt he'd worn that night.

The similarities to that long ago evening didn't end there. His indifferent expression disappeared as his eyes met mine, only to be replaced with a smoldering, predatory look. It was different from the primal, animalistic look he'd worn that night, but my response was the same. Lust, mixed with a tingling dose of fear. It's wasn't him frightening me; the frissons of fear tracing around my spine were caused by my worry he'd walk away from me again, as he had that night.

My breath caught in my throat as he took a couple of steps forward before pausing on the edge of the stage. I knew he didn't remember that night, and therefore could have no idea what he was doing to me, but my stomach was starting to twist into knots as his pause grew noticeably longer. Our eye contact was as magnetic as it had been before; his blue eyes staring into mine with a soul-searching intensity.

I had to remind myself to breathe when he jumped from the stage, his feet never breaking stride as he sauntered maddeningly slowly toward me. Every cell in my body was acutely aware of the distance remaining between us. As before, I found myself impressed with his ability to keep his expression impassive while I struggled not to let my jaw drop and my eyes glass over. I was rooted in place; unable to tear my gaze from his, or maintain any kind of control of the magic tying us together.

My lungs released the breath I was unconsciously holding, the air sliding past my lips with a soft whoosh, as Eric came to a stop just a mere foot away. Our eye contact held and I noticed the crinkling around his eyes before I noticed the smile creeping across his gorgeous face.

"Miss Stackhouse," he greeted, inclining his head fractionally in greeting. "What an unexpected treat."

"Mr. Northman," I replied with a smile of my own. "I hope I'm not intruding?"

"Never," he replied gallantly, reaching for my hand and raising it to his lips. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Is there a problem?"

"No, no problems. I'm fine. I just thought I'd drop by and say hello."

"Aren't you sweet?" he remarked, still holding my hand.

"Not especially," I retorted with a smile. His smile widened into a grin, his hypnotic eyes twinkling.

"Would you like to have a seat?" he gestured to his booth, sitting empty just a few feet away.

I shook my head, smiling at the confusion in his gaze. Downing my drink, I placed my glass on the table next to us and looked back into his eyes again.

"I want to dance," I replied. "Care to join me?"

"I don't dance," he protested.

"Yes, you do," I corrected him. "You have before, right here with me."

"I did?" His eyebrows rose and furrowed at the same time, creating a charming, crooked peak. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," I laughed. I tugged on our clasped hands. "Are you joining me, or not?"

He gave a bit of a shrug and followed me onto the dance floor, looking around with a slightly bemused look on his face. The entire crowd all hustled a few steps away, leaving a wide section of floor for us. For a moment, I wasn't sure he was even going to move, let alone dance, but he proved me wrong as he slid an arm around my waist and moved effortlessly with me. My eyes closed as we moved together seamlessly, our bodies steadily bumping and brushing one another. The heat emanating from me had little to do with the temperature of the bar.

Eric seemed to be as affected as I, if the steely hardness grinding against my back was any indication. Tossing my hair over my shoulder, I looked back to find him staring intently at me as he moved to the music. He swung me around to face him again, the space between us minimal. His hand slid up my back to tangle in the hair at the nape of my neck. Gentle pressure had me tilting my head up to meet his intense gaze. Eric's head tilted ever so slightly in my direction, making me wonder if he wanted to kiss me in that moment. Lust was a palpable thing, pulsing brightly between us. The music ended and the moment was broken.

I stepped out of his embrace and smiled a touch too brightly. My heart was pounding and my head swimming. Eric returned my smile with a dazed look of his own, his pupils dilated and his lips pulling back over his teeth in a way I knew signified he was trying to keep his fangs from descending. I fanned myself with my hand and looked towards the bar.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked immediately. "Would you like to sit down now?"

"Yes, please," I replied. "Just a Coke, though. I'm driving."

He looked at me for a moment before responding. "I can drive you home if you'd like to have a drink."

My eyes widened with surprise. "Thank you, it's nice of you to offer, but I think I'll stick with a Coke for now."

He nodded and escorted me to the table. I smiled at the 'Reserved. Violators will be drained.' sign hanging on the wall as I slid into the booth. Eric summoned a waitress and placed my order before sitting next to me on the bench seat, rather than taking the empty bench across the table. I took a deep breath and tried to steady my nerves, and my hormones.

"So," he said, shifting his frame so he was facing me. "So," I parroted back.

"What brings you all the way to Shreveport tonight?" he questioned. "You didn't come all the way here to dance, did you?"

"I did," I grinned. "I wanted to dance and maybe talk with a friend."

"You consider me a friend?" he asked, his voice all low and husky. I suppressed a shiver before responding.

"I was talking about Pam, actually," I deadpanned. "Is she around?"

Eric's eyes narrowed for a brief moment before he threw back his head and laughed. "Minx," he replied good-naturedly.

I smiled at the waitress as she placed a tall glass of Coke in front of me, murmuring my thanks and taking a sip before looking at Eric again. He was regarding me silently, a small smile playing around the corners of his lips. I smiled back nervously, wiping my palms on my jeans.

"I apologize for my abrupt departure last night," he offered unexpectedly.

"No, it's me who should be apologizing," I shook my head. "I should never have sprung that on you like that. I'm also going to apologize for something else."

"For what?" he asked with a frown on his face.

"I've come to realize I've been somewhat unfair to you," I replied, breaking eye contact and reaching for my Coke.

"Do tell," he prompted with the barest hint of sarcasm lacing his voice.

"I don't think I've really considered how you've felt throughout all of this," I admitted quietly. "I've been too consumed with my own pain and misery to consider yours. Now that I've given it some thought, I realize you must be feeling miserable, too. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to consider your feelings."

Eric regarded me silently at first, his blue eyes narrowed as he searched my face for something; the truth, I would assume. I held myself still as his inspection continued, not even allowing myself to blink until he spoke.

"I don't presume to understand your feelings. Do you think you understand me so well as to presume mine?" he eventually responded, his tone conversational rather than confrontational.

"Not at all," I assured him. "Especially not these days. But now that I've considered it, logic tells me you must at least be frustrated and angry. I know I am."

His eyes never left mine as we spoke of his feelings, a subject rather foreign to vampires.

"It would be an accurate assessment," he conceded. "It is – unsettling."

"We don't have to talk about this now," I said, waving my hand at the crowd surrounding us. "I just wanted to apologize and let you know it's something I've been thinking about."

"I appreciate your concern," he inclined his head toward me. "Even if it is unexpected."

"You will always have my concern," I told him plainly. "Your well-being will always be important to me."

He didn't respond, reaching for my hand instead. We sat in silence together for a few minutes, Eric's long fingers toying with mine. His eyes remained trained on our entwined hands as his expression grew deeply contemplative.

"Would you care to go for a walk?" he asked, completely out of the blue. I looked at him, blinking in surprise.

"A walk?" I asked stupidly.

"Or I could drive you home," he offered. "As you say, this is not the best place to talk."

"You want to talk?" I asked, my eyelashes fluttering as fast as my heart.

"I do," he replied simply. "What do you say? Walk or drive?"

"Drive," I said, making a snap decision.

He raised our entwined hands and pressed his cool lips to the back of my hand, lingering longer than strictly necessary. He released my hand as he stood from the booth, only to extend it to me once more to assist me. I placed my hand back in his and allowed him to pull me to my feet and lead me through the crowd. It felt like every eye in the place followed our progress, but I didn't care.

Eric wanted to talk. That was all I cared about right now.


	66. Progress

"Where are we going, Eric?" Sookie questioned as I turned off the highway before the Bon Temps exit.

"Minden," I replied. It had been a snap decision, but I thought it might be the right one. We needed neutral ground, and the safehouse was the closest thing we had.

"Why? I thought you were taking me home."

"I can take you to Bon Temps if you wish," I offered, "but I thought we could talk for a while first."

"And we need to go to the house in Minden to talk?" she asked, although I could tell she was simply making conversation by this point.

"We talked a lot when we were there before, didn't we?"

"Well, yes, but that was different," she replied, sounding surprised.

"It's not that different," I shook my head and glanced at her profile. "I'm still experiencing memory loss. You're still the one with answers to the questions in my head."

"If you look at it that way, I suppose you're right," she conceded. "Supposing I have the answers you want, that is."

I slowed the car and took a right turn into the cul-de-sac. Putting the car in park in the wide driveway, I switched the ignition off and looked at my enchanting companion.

"I want to know why I loved you," I said, watching as her bright blue eyes widened. "Shall we go inside?"

Sookie didn't say anything as we entered the house; she kicked her shoes off in the entranceway and walked directly to the kitchen. I followed behind her and watched as she got a bottle of water from the fridge. She seemed as comfortable here as she did in her own home. I made the right choice in bringing her here.

After taking a few sips of water and closing the bottle again, she turned to me and gave me a weak version of her mega-watt smile.

"We may as well get comfortable in the living room," she said with a touch of resignation in her voice.

"Is this where we talked before?" I asked her as I followed her to the living room.

"No, actually we mostly talked in bed," she replied flippantly, dropping onto the couch as she spoke. She turned narrowed eyes in my direction. "And before you can ask, the answer is no."

I laughed out loud. Maybe she did know me better than I thought. "Maybe another time," I ginned at her as I took a seat opposite her on the couch.

"We'll see about that," she said, making me look at her with surprise. It was the first time she hadn't shot me down completely. "Now, you may as well start asking me what you want to know, because it's getting late and I've got a feeling this could take a while."

"I told you. I want to know why I loved you."

"And I can't answer that," she replied simply.

"Then tell me why you love me," I requested.

"That's a complicated question," she answered with a frown. "It's not easy to answer. There were different reasons every time."

"Every time? You make it sound like you fell in love with me more than once," I remarked with a matching frown on my face.

"That's because I did. I've fallen in love with you three times," she replied, confusing me even further.

"What do you mean?"

"I fell in love with you after we first met," she said with a small smile, one meant for him, not me. "You were everything I wanted, everything I ever dreamed of. It was a whirlwind of misunderstandings and emotions, but we fell in love. And then you were cursed, and you were a different man yet again. It was a simpler, sweeter kind of love, but I fell in love with you then, too."

"That's twice," I said, holding up two fingers.

Sookie turned those mesmerizing eyes on me once again, holding me with her gaze. Her expression was contemplative; there was a look of what I thought might be uncertainty in her eyes.

"I fell in love with you in my dreams, too," she finally spoke. "Don't laugh, because it's true."

I did laugh, but just briefly. "I won't laugh anymore, I promise. And I guess it's not surprising for you to dream of me and love me in your dreams. We are tied by blood."

"That's true," she nodded her head, "but I was dreaming of you, and falling in love with you, way before I had your blood."

"But you had my blood the first time we met," I rebutted her claim.

"And I've been dreaming of you since I was a small child," she responded. "I don't really ever remember a time when I didn't dream of you."

My eyes narrowed as I listened to her explanation; one which made no fucking sense whatsoever.

"Explain," I demanded brusquely.

"I've told you this before," she prefaced, nodding her head for emphasis. "I can't explain it, nor could you, or Claudine. But you have been the central figure in my dreams for my entire life."

"You mean, you've dreamed of vampires, and I'm the first one you met?" I asked dumbly, not understanding how she could be serious.

"No, I mean I've dreamed of you, Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area Five. I know it sounds unbelievable, and it did the first time I told you, too. But trust me, it really is you in my dreams."

Repositioning myself to face her, I had to admit she seemed certain of her beliefs. She was right, of course. It did seem unbelievable, but she believed it.

"Tell me about your dreams," I asked, buying time to think.

"There's no way to condense it easily. I've spent thousands of hours with you while I dream. But the important parts are easy. You were my friend, my solace as a child. You spent time with me just talking about the silly things children talk about. For a child like me, it was important to have a friend like you. As I grew older, you spent time teaching me all sorts of things; from how to shield my mind from the thoughts of others, to languages and weaponry. I knew you could dance not just because we danced at Fangtasia before, but because it was you who taught me to dance in my dreams."

"As I grew older, I started to realize how handsome and desirable you were. I developed quite a crush on you when I was a teenager. Nothing ever happened that wasn't age appropriate until I was age appropriate, if you know what I mean. You didn't love me then, either. You cared for me, but it wasn't until I was more a woman than a naïve, innocent child that we really fell in love."

She'd delivered her explanation with a surprising ease, even though I could sense she still wasn't completely comfortable with me. I didn't know what to make of her story. Was I to believe I'd somehow visited her dreams for decades? As much as one part of me wanted to scoff and reject the idea outright, the more rational parts of me acknowledged there was a greater than average chance such a thing could happen. If she could be re-incarnated into my life time and time again, anything could be possible.

If there was one lesson to be learned, it was to never discount the possibilities of Sookie Stackhouse.

"You knew me when we met?"

"Immediately," she replied with a laugh. "I was so surprised to see you standing there like you walked out of my dreams. I fainted at your feet like a true Southern belle, for goodness sake!" Her golden curls bounced as she shook her head and laughed.

"When did you tell me about this?" I asked her. I wondered how I felt about it the first time I heard this story.

"Not right away," she told me. "But I did tell you before we exchanged blood for the second time. I felt you deserved to know if you were going to tie yourself to me. At the time, I didn't know we'd already completed the Fae bond." She paused and looked at me seriously. "It was probably the biggest reason why I freaked out when I found out you were hiding something. I took the chance and told you the truth about me, but you didn't trust me like I trusted you."

Did I not trust her? Everything I'd been told suggested I'd trusted this girl implicitly, but she didn't think so. It was fucking infuriating not to know for sure. I couldn't hazard a guess why he hadn't told her – why I had not told her – the truth. It didn't seem that bad to me, especially if she'd confessed to a lifetime of unheard of dream contact with him.

"I don't know why I didn't tell you the truth when you did, but everything I've been told says I did trust you." I regarded her seriously for a long moment, trying to remember the last non-vampire I trusted. Other than Cataliades, there were none that came to mind. Godric and Pam were the only beings I trusted implicitly. But there was something about her, some undefined trait which suggested loyalty and inspired trust.

"It really doesn't matter right now. I've put it behind me for now. If your memories come back, you can explain it then," she said with a shrug. Her attitude reminded me again of how truly unpredictable she was.

"If that happens, it will be the first thing I do," I promised, surprising myself this time.

"You said that when you were cursed, too," she informed me, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm going to hold you to that promise."

"Did I?" I asked, wondering yet again what I was like while cursed. I didn't doubt I'd be all but fucking horrified to remember myself that helpless and vulnerable. Gratitude for Sookie Stackhouse flowed through me. Without her intervention, it is difficult to imagine what would have happened to me in that time.

"Are you alright, Eric?" she asked. "You don't seem yourself tonight."

A sharp bark of laughter came from my throat. "Which self are you comparing me to?"

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to be insensitive."

"You weren't," I assured her. "And you are right. I'm not feeling much like myself lately."

"Is there anything I can do?" She looked and sounded genuinely concerned. "Like I said earlier, I know this must be just as hard on you, in a totally different way."

"It has been difficult," I acknowledged. "But I'm curious what brought about your change of heart."

"It's not a change of heart but more of an opening of my eyes," she said rather ruefully. "As to the why, it was because of something you said to me in a dream."

"You still dream of me?" I asked with interest. For some reason, I'd assumed the dreams had stopped when we met in person.

"I haven't in a long time, but I did last night," she met my eyes as she spoke. "Let's just say you opened my eyes to your side of the story. I've been a bit harsh with you, and I'm starting to see you don't hold the same fault I'd assumed."

"Care to elaborate?" I asked. How influential was the dream version of me?

"I'm not going to deny I was incredibly hurt by what happened," she said politely, "but I understand I can't truly hold you accountable for my pain. You didn't intend to hurt me; in fact, I was a complete stranger to you. In understanding that, I've come to realize I've never truly given any consideration to what you must be going through. I'm not going to presume to understand it," she flashed a wicked grin as she tossed my words back at me, "but I think it can't be that different from how I'm feeling."

"Thank you for your concern, but I think I'm managing fine," I told her, wishing I meant what I said.

Sookie just gave me a small smile and a nod. "I don't expect you to open up to me, Eric, not if you're not ready. I just thought you'd like to know I've been thinking about things."

"I appreciate it," I said. "You truly are exceptional, you know."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking surprised and a touch flustered.

"As you say, I've hurt you. For you to offer me comfort," I shrugged my shoulders, unable to find the right words to convey my thoughts, "it is exceptional."

"There's nothing exceptional about what I did," she protested. "I was wrong about things in a way, and I admit it. I know my attitude can't have helped you understand me, or us, and I'd like to change that."

Sweet fuck, the woman confounded me. Proud and demanding at turns, yet sweet and pliable at others; Sookie Stackhouse was impossible to figure out. If she had a way to make me understand her, bring it the fuck on.

"I would very much like to understand you, and us." I moved closer and picked up her slender hand. "It's disconcerting to feel without reason."

"What do you feel?" she asked softly, her fingertips pressing lightly into my palm.

"I feel I've been hasty in dismissing the possibilities," I admitted. "I'm beginning to understand how uninformed my initial reactions may have been."

"What do you think the possibilities are?"

"That I don't know," I told her. "But I find myself growing anxious to find out. I think we have enough evidence to suggest there's more going on than either of us know or understand." I paused and looked at her seriously, our eyes locked. "I find myself wondering how different things would be if you'd been a few minutes earlier that night; what might have been if you'd found me before I found that fangbanger. It's becoming quite a bad habit, to be honest. It's not healthy for human or vampire to spend too much time thinking about the 'what if's' of life."

"No, it's not," she replied with conviction, her head nodding slowly. "I've decided I only want to look forward from here on. We'll see if your memories come back, but I'm not counting on that to fix the problems we have."

"We've come a long way towards fixing some of those problems tonight," I told her. "We both acknowledged our mistakes and misunderstandings. I think we can agree to try to move past all of that now, yes?"

"That's my plan," she replied with a smile.

"Then there is nothing stopping us from resuming a relationship," I stated confidently. "I can't promise to be the Eric you knew, but I'm willing to try to make this work. I'm not having sex with anyone else now and I can promise you I if I ever feel the need to have sex with anyone else, I will tell you first. I can abide by your demand for monogamy."

Her eyes blazed as she stared into mine. Her silence was beginning to unnerve me by the time she finally spoke.

"There's a whole lot of steps between here and a relationship," she said quietly. "We can't just resume where we left off, Eric. We're not those people anymore. I would like to see you and spend time with you, but there will be no sex for now. I appreciate the fact you've given up seeing others, but I'm not ready to have sex with you again." She paused and took a deep breath. "I can't honestly say when I will be ready, either. Are you going to wait for me to be ready?"

I smiled easily. "I have no problem waiting for you," I replied, my voice a little husky. "I didn't mean to suggest we jump back into bed. I think I know you better than that."

She returned my smile, her whole face lighting up. "Thank you. It means a lot, Eric."

As I watched the smile bring light to her beautiful blue eyes, I realized I really didn't have any problem waiting for her to be ready, regardless of how long that process took. For better or for worse, this was the path we were on.

She was worth the wait.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Progress? What do you think?<strong>_


	67. Spidey Senses

**I am incredibly pleased, and humbled beyond reason, to say this story has been nominated for not one, but two You Want Blood Awards. Just in Time has been nominated for the ****_"Pins and Needles Award: WIP Story you wait anxiously for updates"_**** and for the ****_"Tissue/Kleenex Award: Best Angst."_**

**_When I started to write this story, I would never have imagined being nominated for any awards for my writing. I was happy enough getting reviews from you all. To know so many of you feel strongly enough to go and vote for this story? There are no words for how I feel so I will simply say thank you. You all are amazing!  
><em>**

**_Thank you all so much, and don't forget - voting opens today!_**

* * *

><p>"You got to keep dat girl wit you," Octavia lectured wheezily. "Such magic will not tolerate de distance."<p>

"What magic?" I asked curiously. The old witch had a habit of speaking in riddles.

"Dis magic 'tween you is no joke, vampire," she said by way of futile explanation. "You only tink you can't feel it, but 'tis only cause you not look for it."

"Can she feel it?"

"She feel it, yes. Dat one have many layers of magic in her."

"Layers? What do you mean by that?" It was a curious turn of phrase.

"She tinks tis all about de Fae spark, but dat girl have more den a spark."

"There is the vampire bond, too," I pointed out.

"De layers inside her are older den de blood and de spark. Dat girl was born with de magic inside her," Octavia doled out her information.

"She is telepathic," I offered, trying to understand her meaning.

"And dat not a fairy ting," she said with triumph in her voice.

"Are you trying to say she has other supernatural roots?" At this point, I was willing to accept anything was possible, but it wasn't something I'd ever considered.

"Tis possible," she replied. "Dat magic needs roots somewhere."

"How much magic are we talking about?" I asked, growing more curious as I considered her theory.

"More den I've seen in one person," she informed me with a cackle. "De girl need to harness it, but she could be mighty, dat one."

Mighty? It was a strong word for the powerful old witch to use; it was one she wouldn't use lightly. I pressed her further, but she had nothing more useful to add. After assuring me she would be in touch regarding their research into breaking any possible curses, the witch disconnected the call and I was left with my thoughts.

I found myself – once again – contemplating the never-ending surprises relating to all things Sookie Stackhouse. Why had I rejected the very idea of her so vehemently? My thoughts had seemed logical at the time, after all, she had proven to be dangerous for me before. But it also would have been logical for me to investigate further before making such an important decision, only I didn't feel it was all that important at the time.

Could my cavalier attitude have been a result of the spell? My entire being totally rejected everything to do with Sookie Stackhouse, except for sexual desire. I wanted nothing to do with her. Considering it now, I acknowledged how out of character it had been; even more so when you consider I also rejected the advice of both my beloved maker and devoted child.

If the spell was responsible, what was responsible for my turnabout? She was irresistible on every level possible, and the story surrounding us continued to deepen with every turn, but if it were the spell, I shouldn't be falling for her charms. I laid my head back and stared at the ceiling as I considered every angle I could come up with.

The connection she claimed we had in her dreams was yet another surprise, another angle to consider. The story surrounding us not only continued to deepen, it was becoming impossible for me to ignore. For the first time, I admitted to myself how deeply I resented not having any memories of Sookie. I had no proper frame of reference for the entirety of the situation, having to instead rely on the facts provided by others.

And now I find out I've been living a completely separate life inside of Sookie's brain for the past couple of decades. What a bizarre fucking concept that was; a conscious, coherent part of my brain had been divulging secrets to this woman all of her life. Like the pre-curse version of me, this Eric was someone I didn't know. I'm simply not the sort to befriend a child, but yet, some part of my subconscious did just that.

I'm not the sort to fall in love either, but according to the tempting Ms. Stackhouse, I've done just that not once before, but three times now. Even parts of my brain I'm not even fucking aware of have fallen in love with her. Did I really stand a chance against her? From where I was sitting, it didn't look like I had a hope in hell of ever walking away unscathed.

Fated or doomed, it didn't matter anymore. I couldn't ignore everything pushing and pulling and prodding me toward her. I couldn't fight the chemistry and magnetism between us any longer; I no longer wanted to fight it.

Her dreams were more proof she and I were meant to be. What other logical explanation could there be? I'd subconsciously been preparing this woman for a successful entrance into a supernatural existence; for a life at my side, from all appearances. I taught her just as I had Pam, without the vampire aspects. There was no way it was all simply coincidence. Some part of me had wanted her by my side for a very long time.

What would constitute a long time with Ms. Stackhouse? I wondered. Her Fae blood and spark indicated she might outlive a normal lifespan, but if so, it was information nobody offered up. It was an important point, though, especially in these uncertain times. Was I looking at fifty years or five hundred years? It occurred to me again to attempt contact with Niall Brigant; he might be the only one with the answers I needed.

The idea she might live a Fae lifeline was oddly soothing; the notion she could be by my side for centuries was both exciting and captivating. I should be concerned by the idea and the very fact I was not disturbed was disturbing enough. Just days ago, I would have fought it with all I had. Tonight, I couldn't let go of the possibilities, even though I knew I shouldn't be so optimistic about a simple hypothesis. The idea had taken hold, its roots penetrating to the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind.

I tried to push it to the side and deal with the paperwork in front of me, but my efforts were thwarted. My brain divided; the rational side allowed me to plow through the stacks of invoices and Area correspondence while the primal side was concerned with nothing more than the delectable fairy princess.

The two sides momentarily converged as I opened and read an e-mail from Hot Rain, a Native American vampire of my acquaintance; more importantly, he was the maker of Longshadow, my thieving partner. Thanks to the efforts of the intriguing telepath, Longshadow had been caught before his larceny could do serious damage to Fangtasia's books. A short negotiation with Hot Rain had yielded an outcome we could both deal with. I was reading over the particulars when a short knock was heard at the door before it opened and Sookie entered the room.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" she asked tentatively. "Pam said I could come on back here."

"No, it's fine," I assured her, standing and making my way around the desk to greet her properly. Her curvy frame was wrapped in a soft, emerald green sweater dress worn over black tights and high heeled black boots. A wide black leather belt cinched her waist, emphasizing her hourglass shape. She was remarkably beautiful, I thought as I bent to press a brief kiss to her cheek, my lips lingering only for a moment on her soft, touchable skin. "I was just thinking about you," I told her.

"Really?" Her head tilted back as she looked up at me. Even with her high boots, she was still half a foot shorter than me. "What were you thinking?"

"About your help finding the thief," I told her honestly, even though I omitted more than I admitted. "I was reading an e-mail from Longshadow's maker."

"It was nothing, really," she protested, her blonde curls shimmering as she shook her head.

"Ah, but it was. We wouldn't have known without you. By the time we realized something was wrong, it may have been too late for Fangtasia. I am in your debt," I told her seriously.

"There's no debt," she replied. "I was just doing my job. I'm glad I could help."

"Me, too," I told her. "Are you ready to go, or would you like to have a drink here first?"

"Yes, I'm ready," she nodded her head. "Maybe a drink later."

I nodded my own head in reply and turned to pick up my coat. In truth, I was surprised she'd come to the office at all. After her disclosures the night of the attack, I understood completely why she chose to meet with me in Pam's office during her previous visits. To willingly enter this room – the space I'd desecrated with my trysts with fangbangers – showed strength and character. Both were traits I was coming to understand she possessed in abundance.

We walked in companionable silence through the back hallway and out into the dimly lit employee parking lot. I shortened my strides to match hers as we crossed the deserted lot. Our synchronicity came to an end as I veered towards my Corvette while Sookie headed right, towards a gleaming white Toyota Rav 4.

"Come on," she called, digging into her purse. "I'm driving."

"This is yours?" I asked, vamping quickly to her side.

"Yes, it is," she confirmed, a happy smile spreading across her beautiful face. "I bought it today. Isn't it pretty?"

"Very pretty," I agreed, looking at her as she looked at the SUV. Two short beeps announced the doors unlocking in response to the small remote in her hand. She nodded her head towards the vehicle as she left my side and went for the driver's door. I entered the passenger door at the same time and we both settled comfortably into the soft, caramel colored leather seats. She turned the key and the interior dashboard lit up, illuminating the rich wood tones of the console.

"I love this so much," she sighed as she ran her hand over the steering wheel. "I've never had a new car before. Heck, I don't think I ever even drove a new car before."

"Congratulations," I murmured, transfixed by the simple happiness on her face. "It's nice to see you happy."

The smile on her face dimmed only the minutest fraction as she turned her eyes on me. "It's good to have something to feel happy about," she said, putting the vehicle into gear and driving out of the lot. I wondered if perhaps more than the Rav 4 was making her so happy, but I decided not to press my luck. Tonight, I would follow her lead.

I wanted nothing to dim the smile on her face.

SOOKIE

After a marvellous night with Eric, I woke the next morning with a smile on my face and a sense of peace in my heart and mind. I felt better than I had in weeks, both mentally and physically. I smiled to myself as I stretched and jumped out of bed. We really did have a great night.

It was nothing special, by design. I wanted to see what an ordinary night might look like with Eric and so I planned nothing extraordinary for us to do. I took Eric to the same restaurant he'd once brought me take out from and we simply sat and talked for ages while I ordered my dinner and ate. I told him the story behind this restaurant, and one story led to another while we laughed as I told him of all the funny moments we'd had. We'd both quite deliberately avoided any serious or painful topics and enjoyed a pleasant evening as a result.

After dinner we'd just walked around for a while as I drank my coffee I ordered to go. The night had been crisp enough that I welcomed the heat of the cup in my hands, but I was happier still when Eric took my free hand and clasped it lightly with his cool fingers. The cold be damned, it felt really natural to walk hand in hand with Eric as I sipped my coffee and we talked and laughed.

It truly had been a great evening, one made only better by the passionate kiss – more like a teenaged make out session, in truth – we shared at the end of our evening. Eric had continued to hold my hand for the remainder of the evening, only relinquishing it long enough to get us situated in the car before claiming it once more. It had taken all of my concentration to keep my eyes on the road and not on him as he held my hand and played with my fingers.

By the time I pulled up in front of the Minden house, where he told me he'd been staying lately, I was a powder keg about to explode. What started out as a simple goodnight kiss quickly morphed into a passionate embrace. Long banked embers of passion flared between us as our lips and tongues frantically met and became reacquainted. All thought, rational or otherwise, deserted me as I let go and lost myself in Eric. It had been he who'd had enough sense to put a stop to our activities before we'd gotten too carried away to stop. I'm not ashamed to say I initially protested, but a pink blush still colored my cheeks as I thought of my behaviour.

Even though ultimately it was just a kiss, no matter how torrid it became, it had been enough to prove to me that I could move past what had happened. I'd been worried that I'd never be able to be with him that way again without thinking about that awful night with the fangbanger, but it hadn't been an issue. I still wanted him, no matter how painful that experience had been.

Forgoing a shower until later, I dressed quickly in yoga pants and a hoodie before moving to the kitchen and putting a pot of coffee on. A quick, satisfying breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast accompanied my coffee and before long, I was ready to face my day.

Christmas was quickly approaching and I'd yet to take out a single decoration, but my joyous mood this morning spilled over into some holiday cheer. The attic housed all of Gran's treasured holiday ornaments and I spent the next hour lugging boxes down over the narrow stairs. It was good luck Terry Bellefleur was home when I called; a beautifully full, perfectly shaped tree was delivered to my house an hour later and Terry had it in its stand in no time at all. He stayed long enough to hang the lights outside around the front eaves and the porch before wishing me a Merry Christmas and leaving for home.

The lights were just strung on the tree when I heard a car coming down my drive. It was still daylight, which ruled out the vampires and I went to the window to have a look. The car was unfamiliar; lowering my shields, though, I was quickly able to identify my unexpected visitor and I went to the door with a smile on my face. Dusting myself off as best as possible, I opened the door and greeted my guest.

"Amelia!" I called out as she exited her car. "What a surprise! What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Sookie," she greeted with a smile as she approached the steps. "I came up ahead of Octavia and the others to see you. I hope I'm not intruding?"

"Not at all!" I was happy for the company, to be honest. "I'm just getting the house decorated for Christmas. Come on in."

Amelia gave me a quick hug as she came in, kicking off her shoes and dropping her purse right inside the door. "I love Christmas," she replied enthusiastically. "I finished decorating my place last night. I'll give you a hand, if you like."

"That would be great," I told her honestly. It was a lot of work decorating the old house, especially for one person. "I was just about to take a break and get something to drink. Would you like anything?"

"No, I'm good for now," she answered. "I just finished a monster Slurpee on my way here, and speaking of which, do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

"Of course," I nodded. "Just there in the hallway," I added in case she didn't remember. "I'll be in the kitchen."

"These are so sweet!" Amelia exclaimed a while later as we sat on the floor of the living room with a box of ornaments between us. My new friend had fussed over every ornament we pulled out of the box. They were nothing special, mostly handmade ones that Jason or I, along with older ones from our father and Aunt Linda. "You are so lucky, Sookie! I would have loved to have had Christmas like this when I was growing up."

"I'm sure your Christmases were fabulous," I told her, not understanding for a moment how someone as wealthy as she could find our homespun Christmas exciting.

"Oh, they were fabulous all right," she confirmed, bobbing her head for emphasis. "That's the perfect word to describe Christmas at our house. It was over the top fabulous every single year, but the only Christmas traditions we adhered to was in choosing the decorator and the photographer who would take a picture of my father and I, posing in familial harmony, in front of the decked out mantle. It was nothing like this," she held up the Christmas wreath Jason had made with his class in grade five. "This is family," she said. "We didn't even own ornaments. The decorator just showed up with different ones every year."

"Well," I began, suddenly feeling awkward and not knowing what to say, "Gran was big on family and tradition. Even when my parents were alive and Jason and I lived with them, Christmas still happened here at Gran's." Sookie looked around the room and shrugged. "It's just me here now and it's going to be a quiet Christmas, but I just felt like I still had to do it all up. I owe it to Gran, I think, to keep the traditions going for as long as I can."

"Yeah, it's nice," Amelia replied as she took out another ornament. "I know vamps don't celebrate and all, but is Eric going to be around for Christmas?"

"Who knows? I haven't asked him and it still a couple of weeks away."

"Do you want to see him? How have things been going?"

"It's going well, I think. We've talked a bit and seen each other a few times now without any problems. As for Christmas, Iike you said, vampires don't celebrate so I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

"I guess time will tell, then, huh?" Amelia replied brightly. "Are you getting him anything?"

I blew the air from my lungs in a noisy exhale. Shopping for anyone hadn't been on my radar yet. "I haven't decided," I said uncertainly.

"You should think about it," she advised. "If for no other reason than he might show up with something for you."

"I doubt he even knows it's Christmas time," I told her doubtfully. "But I will probably get him something. I just don't know what to get him."

"Trust me, Sookie. He knows it's Christmas. You can be sure Pam has left him daily reminders for the past two weeks," Amelia replied dryly, her lips twisting into an affectionate grin. "That's one vampire that will celebrate any tradition if it means decorating and gifts."

I laughed out loud. I could see that about Pam, for some reason. "I'll make sure to get her something, too," I said, standing and moving the now empty box out of our way. "She should be easy enough to shop for."

For the first time in my entire life, I wasn't stressed out about how much money Christmas would cost. In previous years, I'd always tried to start saving and shopping the sales weeks before Thanksgiving and I was always still worried about money come Christmas. The groceries alone for the holidays were crippling, but I couldn't let Gran pay for it all. Jason, for all that he came and ate his weight in food, not to mention taking home endless containers of leftovers, never once offered to chip in a single cent. It felt really, really good not to have to worry anymore. Not for the first time, I felt immense gratitude towards my fairy family.

We started hanging the decorations on the tree, Amelia being far more particular with placement than me. She told me she planned on having a Christmas brunch with her father before heading to Octavia's place for what she called her real Christmas celebration. Apparently Octavia pretty much had an open door policy and her house was a beehive of friends coming and going all day. It sounded pretty good to me.

"So when are you seeing Eric again?" she eventually asked.

"Tomorrow night. I'm going to meet him at Fangtasia and I guess we're going out from there. It's his turn to make the plans."

"Aww, that's sweet. You're taking turns?"

"Sort of, I guess. That's how it's playing out for now." I briefly wondered what we might be doing before deciding I really didn't care. I just wanted to spend some more time with him. "It's been going pretty good, Amelia, but I'm still so afraid of what's going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I'm afraid something's going to jinx us again. I'm afraid of getting to close and getting my heart broken, but I'm also afraid of what will happen if I don't open myself up to being hurt."

Amelia looked thoughtful for a moment and I was particularly glad my shields were holding so well. I knew I was an emotional, neurotic mess; I was sure her thoughts would confirm it. It wasn't like I wasn't trying to get better, but it was proving harder than I thought, no matter how well things were going. Way too much was happening in my life right now for there to be any rationality to my thoughts.

"I really want you to know I mean it when I say I'm not trying to be heartless," my new friend opened with. "But what it really boils down to is you, Sookie, and how much you want him. Because if you do really, really want this to work out, you have no choice but to open yourself up to whatever heartbreak comes your way. There's no guarantee with love and having our hearts broken is a risk we all take every time we fall in love."

"I know," I whispered. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I moved about the living room tidying up the room. I gave up after a minute and flopped down onto the couch and stared at the tree. Even without the lights turned on, it was pretty. Gran would be proud. "I'm afraid to have sex with him. I want to, very much, but I'm afraid of how much closer it will make me feel to him. I don't think I could handle it if he didn't feel the same way."

"But if you keep putting it off, you're only prolonging the inevitable and building it up into something it's not. I understand the need to wait some time, and I'm not saying you should do it if you're really not ready, but I say just get it over with." Amelia came and sat beside me on the couch. "I know it's not easy, but waiting won't make any easier."

Some part of me still clung to the hope that Eric would wake one evening and everything would be fine again. I wouldn't have to put myself out there with this colder, more reserved version of my Eric. I shivered as I thought of the enormous secret I shared with his maker. I didn't have a single fucking clue how to explain the crazy story Godric told me, but yet, somehow I had to find a way to tell Eric that I – no, not me. Her. – somehow had a hand in his turning. I secretly wondered if Godric's 'my maker won't let me' excuse was real; maybe he was forcing me into doing his dirty work.

Eric should have known about this literally ages ago; to keep the knowledge from him, in light of everything else he endured, was simply wrong on so many levels. I wasn't ready to refer to the others as me, as far as I was concerned they weren't me. Just because I look like someone doesn't make me them. Godric's story was moving and powerful, but it wasn't me he met in that meadow. Sookie Stackhouse didn't ask him to turn Eric. A supernatural being who lived a thousand years before I was even born was responsible for that, but it was apparently up to me to shoulder the burden and tell Eric the truth behind his history.

I sighed and looked at Amelia. I couldn't tell her this part of my dilemma, not now and perhaps not ever. This secret is burning a hole in my heart and until I find a way to tell Eric without my world imploding around me, I didn't know if sex was something I should consider. If it were my Eric I was dealing with, I would have already told him about this by now. It would have been hard, but I wold have told him immediately. As strange as it sounds, I don't know this Eric well enough to predict his reaction and that had me worried.

"I'm hungry," I lied, deciding to forgo further debate. "Want to go to Merlotte's with me and get some dinner?"

"Sure. I could eat," she agreed, nodding her head. "I have to meet Octavia in Shreveport after nine, so there's still plenty of time."

A half an hour later and we were sitting in a booth at the bar, laughing and carrying on as we waited for our food to arrive. Amelia had been happy to meet Sam, who was tending the bar, and Lafayette, who came out of the kitchen to sweep me up into an enormous hug. As I suspected, he and Amelia really hit it off, but I was most surprised by Sam's flustered behavior when I introduced them. Amelia didn't seem to notice; if she did, she covered it well. I wasn't sure what the real deal was between her and Pam, but I didn't think much of Sam's chances.

Lafayette brought our burgers to the table himself, even though Holly was officially our server. I'd been surprised when Holly and Amelia had recognized each other immediately, but since Holly had seemed super nervous about it, it made me wonder what their connection could be. Even though Holly had never been anything less than nice to me, I really didn't know her very well.

"Okay, it's official," Amelia said, pushing her empty plate to the side. "I'm moving here just so I can eat one of those burgers every day. Eventually my hips and ass will get so big that I can't get in through the door, but I'm sure you'd be a pal and bring me one, right?"

I laughed as I pushed my plate away, too, empty of all but a few fries. "I'd probably stage an intervention before it got to that point," I told her. "But I understand the temptation all too well. When I worked here, I ate my fair share of those burgers, especially after Gran died. It takes willpower to be around them all day and not give in."

"I'm not sure if there's a spell for willpower, but if there is, I might need to learn it," she said. I laughed again and excused myself to go to the washroom, skirting the bar to avoid the already tipsy Jane Bodehouse. She was chatting up the man sitting next to her, and even though I kept my head down as I walked by, I caught a glimpse of his profile under the brown ball cap he wore. He was familiar to me, which was strange because anyone local or any of the regulars at Merlotte's knew to avoid Jane.

It wasn't until I was washing my hands in the bathroom that I realized why he looked so damned familiar to me. I stared at my reflection in the mirror as a tingle of fear went up my spine as I remembered where I'd seen him before.

San Juan.

Preston Pardloe was at Merlotte's. In Bon Temps.

Coincidence? My tingling spidey senses told me otherwise.

Damn it all.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hope you liked it! I'd love to hear from you all, but you could show your appreciation for this story by voting for it, too!<strong>_

_**Seriously, though, even if this story isn't your favorite, go vote for the stories and writers that are. There are some incredibly talented writers nominated for amazing stories in the You Want Blood Awards. Go check it out. Voting opens today and you can cast your vote for your favorites every day until May 22.  
><strong>_

_**Thank you all again. Your support for this story rocks my world!**_


	68. Uprooted

"So, that's it then?" I asked, careful to keep the disappointment from my tone. The witch had been casting spells for two hours straight as I sat quietly and prayed silently to my gods for something – anything - to work. My office reeked of magic, herbs and smoke, but we had no such luck.

"Don't worry, vampire. Dere be more tings we can try, just not tonight." Octavia's wheezy, distinctive voice held more confidence than I felt. "We will not stop de magic until you are whole again."

I held back a snort out of respect for the wizened old witch. Our quest to return my memories seemed pointless, as far as I could see, but I didn't voice my opinion for the same reason. Whatever the result, Octavia was trying her best.

"Tomorrow de coven arrive and we have stronger magic den," she spoke again, pulling me from my dark thoughts. "We will try again, but I tink not here. De fairy land holds good magic. It be better dere."

"Sookie's land, you mean?" I questioned sharply. "What magic is there?"

"De layers of magic are dere, too," she answered enigmatically. "De land be blessed over and over. Dere be more magic dere den in some sacred sites I see."

Her previous statement concerning Sookie and the magic at her core came back to me as I processed this new information. I trusted Octavia's judgement implicitly; she was by far the greatest judge, and perhaps practitioner, of magic I had ever known.

Were the fairies the source of the magic, or as Octavia had suggested regarding Sookie, were they only part of the equation? Did the source of the magic matter in these circumstances? Octavia seemed to think the extra power would be helpful and her faith soothed my discomfort on some level. Perhaps it was nothing more than a placebo effect, too. Fairy Sookie and her magical land gave me something other than my own miserable existence to dwell on.

Plans were made to meet at Sookie's house the following evening and the witch departed with assurances she would continue to search for a solution to my problems. I allowed myself to become lost in my thoughts; letting my mind wander inevitably led to more thoughts of Sookie and her magic. I spent far more time than what was healthy dwelling on Miss Stackhouse and her abundant mysteries and charms, but at least tonight I had new information to consider and factor in.

Due time and thought had been given to Octavia's previous assertions of Sookie's 'layers' and the suggestion her blood might contain other surprises. I hadn't had the opportunity to taste her blood in its pure form; the rancid taste of poison and maenad had tainted it the one and only time I'd tasted her. I had some faith, however, that the other me, the one who'd tasted her blood freely and often, would have noticed if there was any discernible evidence in her blood. If so, I had kept the knowledge to myself and had not shared with Sookie, or Pam and Godric.

The evidence kept mounting with the revelation that Sookie's land also possessed great magic; once again, the layers of magic came into play. I had seen for myself a small portion of what she was capable of magically, and the little show she had put on had been extremely impressive. I found myself wondering if her magic would be enhanced on her own land. Could she draw on the power around her?

My thoughts were lost as a soft knock sounded on the door just before it opened and Godric walked in.

"Pamela told me to come on back," he said, a question on his face. "If you are busy…"

"Not at all," I replied honestly. I wasn't even pretending to work this evening, although I would likely still have to make myself be seen in the bar later. "The witch was here, but she's gone. I've been lost in my head since she left."

"No progress, I take it?" Godric's nose twitched as he registered the lingering odours in the air.

"None at all," I replied, a touch of resignation in my voice. "She wants to try again tomorrow with the whole coven. And she wants to meet at Sookie's house; something about her land holding a great deal of magic."

"Indeed," Godric murmured in response, surprising me. "It cannot hurt to use the magic in the land."

"You knew?"

"Perhaps not as your witch feels it, but I felt some of the power. Some of the magic is residual, I believe. The Fae have been coming and going from that land for hundreds of years and they have been known to deliberately bless the grounds around their portals. Much of their magic comes from nature, so it would make sense. Sookie's family successfully farmed that land for generations, and even today there is a bountiful lushness to the area. The portal itself is in an apple grove."

"There's a portal on her property?"

"Yes, about a quarter mile or so from the house."

"Did I know of this before?" It was news to me now.

"It was not something we discussed," he replied with a shrug. "I cannot say. I spoke with Sookie about it one evening and she was completely unaware of the magic in the land, just as she was unaware of the portal. Neither surprised me considering she only recently learned of her heritage."

Having only known her as she is now, it never fails to shock me when I am reminded of how recently her powers manifested themselves. To harness the amount of magic she wields is impressive, but almost improbable for one so new and untested. It again attested to her strength and character; only those most determined mastered their abilities.

"The witch feels it is more than Fae magic," I told him, "in both the land and in Sookie."

Godric looked at me silently for a moment, his right eyebrow quirked in a familiar pose. This was apparently news to him, too.

"Is that so?" he eventually asked, his tone mild and only faintly touched with puzzlement. "What does she feel?"

"She doesn't know, or really hasn't said if she does suspect," I told him. "She refers to it as 'layers of magic', saying that some of the layers are older than the Fae spark." I shrugged. "She's infuriatingly enigmatic, always speaking in riddles. I'd hate to see her and the Ancient Pythoness go head to head."

Godric laughed softly for a moment, clearly thinking of his maker in those seconds. His face softened for the briefest of instants only to close quickly back into his normal impassive mask.

'"I have yet to see the Pythoness at a loss, but it might be entertaining to watch your witch try," he finally conceded with a small smile.

"I wonder what she has seen of my troubles," I wondered. "Do you think she knows, Godric?"

"One can only guess. It is impossible to know these things," Godric answered with a shrug. There was no way of knowing what his maker knew or saw in her visions. It was rare for the Pythoness to reveal anything, even rarer for her to act upon her visions. Based on her pivotal actions all those years ago, Godric felt certain his maker kept up with his child, but to what extent he could only guess. Even he was mostly still in the dark about her gift and how it worked.

"I know that," I replied. "I'm just grasping at straws right now. What brings you by this evening?"

"News from New Orleans," Godric returned shortly. "Appius is heading towards Shreveport tonight. My sources tell me he is meeting with the Queen at midnight then heading north before sunrise."

"What the fuck does that bastard want?" A growl built in my chest as I thought of a thousand creative ways to end the dangerous prick once and for all.

"We can only speculate, but I feel it must be related to us, or Sookie."

"Do you think he will come after her? It would be a very stupid move, coming after one of Sophie-Ann's assets; one under my protection, and by extension, yours, too."

Godric shook his head as he regarded me with solemn eyes. "Again, it is impossible to guess. His visit here is not simply circumstantial; he is after someone or something. Who or what could be debated all night. He made numerous inquiries regarding both you and Sookie."

"What could be gained by stealing Sookie? It would only bring dangerously unwanted attention. I can't imagine the fairies would remain idle, either, should she become a target."

"She may be a target because of her fairy blood," Godric pointed out. "Or because of her association with you, or perhaps because Sophie-Ann has convinced him to take her from you. We can't know. All we can do is prepare for any and all possibilities."

"Best case scenario, Godric, is to see that bastard turn to dust." I sounded as grim as I felt. "There must be a way to do it."

Godric took a moment to consider my words, likely thinking the same as me: Appius Livius Ocella was probably as old as Godric and I combined. It was the only reason he still walked the earth.

"With good reason and great motivation, anything is possible," he finally allowed, becoming somewhat enigmatic himself. "It may be the greatest challenge we have faced, my son, but like you, I desire to see him gone."

I wasn't what anyone would consider a pessimist; I've actually been accused several times of being an eternal optimist. Life is more enjoyable if you try to look for the bright spot in any situation. For a vampire, this is even more applicable, or so I've always believed. We live our life in darkness, both literally and metaphorically. Succumbing to the dark side has been the ruination of many a fine vampire; I loved life way too much to spend too much time being gloomy. This situation, however, warranted the gloom and doubt I felt.

A bleak laugh escaped my lips as my brain ran at vampire speed through the many 'challenges' my maker and I faced together. Simply stating Appius would be the greatest one yet made it sound impressive, but the truth of the matter was, he would be our greatest challenge by a long margin. The numerous scrapes and conflicts Godric and I involved ourselves in through the years could be considered merely training for the monumental task we had ahead of us if we were to truly bring his final death.

"We cannot fail, Godric." Our eyes met and held; I knew he could see the bleak truth of that utterance reflected in everything I was.

"No, we cannot. If we decide to engage and take him out, it must be a sure and certain plan, my son. Failure would mean certain death for all of us, I'm afraid." My maker held my gaze as he spoke and his certainty was as bleak as my own. "I am willing to accept that risk for myself, but it is not a fate I would chose for you or Sookie."

"I am willing to accept the risk, too - to protect all of us," I informed him with a frown. "It's not a fate I would chose for any of us."

"Sookie needs to survive, Eric, and the only way that can happen is for you to live, too. I would prefer to live, also, but I am willing to accept the risks of going up against Appius."

"Why?" I asked bluntly. "Why is it so important to you? I know this is not about me, Godric. Why is Sookie important enough to _you _for you to lay down your life for her?"

"She is important to you, my child."

"That's enough for you?" I questioned incredulously. Godric had guarded his life, and my own, with a fierceness that belied his current cavalier attitude towards dying.

"Yes, I find that it is." Godric almost looked surprised by his own words, but they rang true, all the same.

"Why, Godric? You barely know her. Hell, I barely know her, but there is more between us."

"Exactly my point, my son. There is more between you; who can say what is to come? There is a reason you are in her life, just as there is a reason she is in yours. That alone is important."

"More important than your life?"

"It's not like I plan on surrendering, Eric," Godric replied with a some exasperation. "You are making much of a poorly worded comment."

"Perhaps I am," I agreed. "But no matter how you word it, in the end, you are comfortable sacrificing yourself for another. Forgive my surprise, but it's not as if I have ever heard you say anything close to that before. Survival is paramount, Godric. For all of us."

"And it is my intent, my son," Godric spoke solemnly, switching with ease to the ancient Norse dialect he'd been taught by his child. "Make no mistake; I have no intention of laying down my life. Should it be necessary, though, I feel it may be a worthy sacrifice."

"You can't be serious! Fucking Jesus, Godric!" I swore as I looked at him with some degree of incredulity. I might be able to appreciate the sentiment, but what he was suggesting was entirely ludicrous. At just over two thousand years of age, Godric was one of the oldest vampires in existence. To even suggest sacrificing himself so that a mostly human fairy hybrid might live was unthinkable, no matter how important she was to me. Even though my maker considerately released me from his service many centuries ago, I would willingly sacrifice my life for his, only after exhausting every other avenue possible, as I had been taught. But I owed my existence, and ability to survive as long as I have, to this man. I couldn't wrap my brain around his casual attitude towards possible final death.

"Eric." Godric's tone was firm, though his volume never rose. "You know well I believe there is a reason for everything in this life. I believe we all have a purpose to fulfill; I believe my purpose might well be to see to yours and Sookie's survival. There are things in life which are unexplainable, my child, but I feel this within."

"And you know well that I believe most everything can be explained."

"How do you explain Sookie? She, and everything surrounding her, are a complete mystery," Godric countered mildly.

"You've got me there," I responded softly, all the wind gone from my sails. Sookie, despite everything I'd learned of our thousand year connection, was a mystery. I stared at my maker for a moment, trying to will myself within his brain, if even for a moment. In that moment, I understood with perfect clarity why Sookie loved the silent vampire brain. No matter how much I wanted to hear Godric's thoughts on Sookie and the unusual connection he seemed to hold with her, I was immensely grateful for my inability to do so. "I have tried to understand her, Godric. I really have. Sometimes I believe I am starting to see a glimmer of the truth, and then it is gone."

"How is the relationship between you?"

"Better, I suppose. I still have no recall of her, of course, but there are moments which feel very – _familiar_. I can't explain it any better than to say the entire situation is feeling more right than wrong. I'm starting to know her, even if I don't understand her."

"Progress," Godric murmured, nodding his head slowly. "I am grateful for it."

"Why is that, Godric?" I asked bluntly. Even if I was understanding the attractions of Ms. Stackhouse more clearly, I still was at a loss to explain Godric's, Pam's and even fucking Thalia's intense interest in not only the girl, but the state of affairs between her and I.

"Because for the first time in your life, Eric, you were complete. The restlessness, the doubt, the insecurities – they all disappeared for that short time you were together." Godric's deep eyes met mine and I was surprised to see the faint echoes of sadness in his features. "You were happy, my child. You were loved and you loved deeply in return. Why would I not want that for you?"

"Fuck," I muttered. Why the fuck couldn't I remember my time with Sookie Stackhouse? Had it indeed been that big? "I wouldn't want anything, Godric, let alone something as fleeting as love, should it come at the price of your life. Love is not a requirement for survival. I've survived ten centuries without it, Godric."

"And you were unhappy for the majority of those years," came his swift rejoinder. "It is not how I would like to see your next thousand, my child."

"I was hardly miserable," I scoffed. "There was plenty of joy in my life – happiness, too."

"Yes, I can see how you would think so," Godric replied musingly, "considering you can only remember the good. The selective memory loss prevents you from recalling the darker days; the times of worry and doubt and self-recrimination don't factor in to your memories. I remember those times and I feel responsible enough for your pain."

"You're right, of course," I admitted easily. "Without those memories, it's hard for me to understand the full picture. It's difficult to form an effective plan when you know you are missing key pieces of information. But they are my difficulties to live with, not yours. You bear no responsibility for any of this."

"I turned you." Godric's plain statement hung between the two vampires for a moment. "I made you what you are, and therefore sentenced you to the fate you are enduring."

"That's horseshit, Godric! You gave me an incredible existence. Without you and your intervention, I would be nothing but dust right now, gone and long forgotten! Do not dare blame yourself for my troubles."

Godric did not respond for a long moment, and I was beginning to wonder if he would respond at all when my phone rang, shattering the silence of the room. I would have ignored it any other time, but the ringtone was unmistakable. Sookie was calling.

* * *

><p>"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on, Sookie?" Amelia finally asked when we were pulling away from the back parking lot at Merlotte's.<p>

"Sorry for all the cloak and dagger stuff, Amelia," I replied hastily as I struggled to erect a hasty shield in my head. My new friend was a loud broadcaster on the best of days. Get her riled up and well... let's just say she's rather excitable. "The guy at the bar with the baseball cap on? He was a fairy."

"Holy crap! A fairy? A real one?" Amelia exclaimed, craning her neck around to peer out the back window of the Rav4 as if she expected to see the fairy following us. I'm not sure she wasn't disappointed not to see him there. "How do you know? Do you know him?"

"Yes, a real one," I answered, sounding perhaps a touch more grim than I'd intended. "His name is Preston Pardloe. I met him in Puerto Rico. He was kind of pushy and there was something about him I really couldn't take to – something a little off, I guess you'd say. Him being in Merlotte's was unexpected and not good news, I would think." I'd been so freaked out by seeing him there, I did the only thing I could think of – I ran. Going back into the bar was too much of a risk. I called Amelia's cell from the safety of the Rav4 and gave her instructions to quietly make her way to the back door where I was waiting. To her credit, she did exactly as I asked without question.

"You think he's looking for you?"

"I don't know," I told her honestly. "I gave him a fake name when we met, and never told him where I was from, but I can't imagine it's a coincidence."

"What do you think he wants? Are there other fairies around here he could be visiting with?"

"There's a few, but they don't know him. There could be others I don't know, but I don't think so. I think it's probably about me. He might have known who I was even when we met. He could have been there because of me, too. I never gave him much of a chance to talk when we met. He came to my hotel room later that night, but I gave him the brush off then, too. I can't imagine what he wants."

"What are you going to do? If he knows who you are and knows enough to go to Merlotte's to look for you, he probably knows where you live, too," Amelia pointed out.

"If he's been around the house, then the wards must have kept him out," I replied, glancing into the rearview mirror to reassure myself the road behind me was still empty. "Which would only reinforce the idea he's up to no good."

"You think he's a full fairy?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, a lot of the magic we performed at your house with the wards was enhanced by the fairy magic running through that place. I don't know much about fairy magic, but I would imagine a full fairy - assuming they're as powerful as I believe fairies to be – well, they might be able to draw on the fae energy in the land to weaken our wards." She paused and shot me a sheepish glance. "It's not a definite, or anything. Really nothing more than a theory on my part, but I think we have to factor it in."

"Fairies are plenty powerful," I told her seriously. "Their power comes in all shapes and sizes, but every fairy packs some pretty powerful magic. I don't know what, specifically, but I'm going to head back to the house now and make some calls. You don't need to wait for me; I know you have to be getting back to Shreveport to meet Octavia and the others."

"I don't know," she replied doubtfully. "I don't feel right leaving you alone. I've got some time before I have to head out. I can wait with you."

"There's no need," I protested automatically. I liked Amelia and trusted her as much as I was able, but I didn't know her. I wasn't sure it was smart to have her listening to the conversations I was anticipating. "And unlike you, I have perfect faith in your wards. I don't have a clue about the magic you all claim is in my land, though."

I turned onto the long driveway leading to my old house and pulled my sparkly new SUV up beside Amelia's car. Closing my eyes, I lowered my shields as much as possible and scanned the area surrounding the farmhouse, sighing with relief as I came up empty.

"Are you really going to be okay out here?" Amelia asked glancing around the deserted property with a shiver.

I laughed. "Yup. I'm used to it. This is my home, after all. I'll be fine."

"Keep the doors locked, Sookie. I really think you ought to be considering staying somewhere else tonight. Just to be safe, you know? Octavia is having us all meet here tomorrow evening, so we can do a complete check of the wards then and throw in a few more protection charms."

"I'll consider it," I told her. I wasn't afraid to be out here, as such, but I was smart enough to know Preston Pardloe might be stronger and more dangerous than I was capable of dealing with. Fairies didn't need invitations. "You get going. It's a longer drive than you might think."

"If you're sure," she questioned, already pulling her keys out and taking a step closer to the car.

"Skedaddle," I replied with a grin. "I'll text you later and give you the all clear."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely."

With a final wave over my shoulder, I walked up the gravelled walk to the house. The cool evening air encouraged crackling flames, but I lingered, taking a seat on the wide, worn wooden steps. Utilizing every trick I'd ever learned to clear my mind, I simply sat, tucking my hands in my pockets to ward off the chill in the December air. The night was still and quiet; I let the silence envelop me like a blanket. Minutes floated by quietly until my attention was pulled to a rustling in the bushes to my left, maybe twenty yards away. There was no brain signature accompanying the movement and I watched with growing curiosity until a small grey rabbit hoped into view. Another slightly larger rabbit, a lighter grey with one floppy ear, soon followed and a smile grew on my face as I watched them chase around the yard. Their carefree fun was a balm to my soul and they held my rapt attention until the floppy eared one stopped in his tracks to stand on his sturdy back legs. His cute button nose twitched as he scented the air, having obviously picked up on my scent. I watched as the two scampered off into into the smile only dimmed from my face when I realized how lonely I suddenly felt when they were out of sight. I made my way into the warmth of the house, slipping out of my shoes and into a warm pair of slippers.

Claudine answered my call on the first try, but other than being sympathetic to my plight, she had no insight to offer.

"Claudine, what do you know about the magic in my land?" I asked before we disconnected. "Everyone keeps talking about all the magic here. Amelia even said he might be able to use it to weaken the wards the witches cast."

"There is magic there," she confirmed. "Some of it is leftovers from so many portal crossings, but Fintan used a tremendous amount of magic here, as well. He cast many protection charms on that house, Sookie, so that you would be safe. He probably cast others during the time he spent there with Adele."

"Can he get past the wards?"

"It is not what I would consider likely, but it is possible," she informed me. "I should have checked those wards myself. I'm sorry for not thinking of it before. You should stay somewhere else tonight, Sookie. You can stay with me, if you like."

"Thanks for the offer, Claudine, but I think I'm going to ask Eric if I can stay at the house in Minden. The wards are still good there." It was the only thing I could come it with and I didn't think Eric would mind if I asked him. He'd said before it wasn't where he usually stayed, so it probably would be no big deal for me to camp out there until it were safe to come home again. I desperately hoped it wouldn't be more than a night or two, but I did feel confident he wouldn't mind either way.

"How are things with the vampire?"

"Well, I think. It's not perfect, but we're working on it. We've been spending some time together and it's helping."

"That's good to hear," she told me before saying her goodbyes. She'd already promised to be in touch as soon as she heard back from Niall. It was the best she could offer, so I thanked her again and said goodnight.

The Christmas cheer I'd so determinedly installed seemed to mock me as I stared at the tree and the mantle filled with Stackhouse heirlooms. I wondered now if I'd even have a proper Christmas this year. It seemed pretty unlikely at this point. With the holidays so close, it was even a possibility I wouldn't even be here. I cursed everything in my life. Why could life just be normal for a little while? Would it be too much to ask for to be able to enjoy Christmas in my own home?

Eric's number was half dialled into the phone when the house line suddenly rang, startling me. Not many people called me, and those who did usually called my cell phone these days. I glanced at the time on my phone before standing up and walking to the kitchen. It was definitely too late to be a marketing call.

"Hello?"

"Sookie." There was a slight pause before the distinguished, but unfamiliar, voice began again. "It is Niall Brigant. Your great grandfather."

"I know who you are," I replied hastily. "Thank you for calling, Your Highness."

"There is no need to thank me and such formalities are unnecessary between us, my child. You may call me Niall."

I laughed. "I'm sorry, sir, but that's too informal for me. My grandmother would tan my hide for not showing due respect. May I call you Grandfather, or is that too much for you?"

"I would be honoured, truly. We haven't had much opportunity it's to know one another, but I am hoping that will change soon."

"I'd like that," I told him honestly. I want sure what I thought of him, but he was family and I didn't have so much that I could easily dismiss those who showed interest.

"I understand from Claudine you have been in contact with Preston Pardloe. Is this correct?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"Yes, I do. His family are prominent members of the Water Fae."

"Do you know any reason he'd be here in Bon Temps? The first time I saw him was in Puerto Rico and I lied about who I was and where I was from."

"I do not know why he would be in either location. Water Fae are not generally known for frequenting your Realm. They mostly believe it is too much exposure to the iron in your environment which is causing the fertility issues we face."

"Should I be concerned?" I had hoped, somewhere deep down, that someone would say, 'Who? Preston? Oh, don't worry about him. He's harmless!'.

"Yes. Yes, my child, you should be concerned. I am concerned, more so because of the rift between you and the Vampire. Water Fae are the reason I wanted you protected. Without the vampire to protect you, I fear for your safety." His tone was grave, very doom and gloom. My floundering spirits sank as I listened to him speak. "The safest option would be for you to come here. We can protect you here. I can have Claudine bring you through the portal in the morning."

"Thank you, Grandfather, but I don't want to leave my home right now." Holy cripes! I was freaked out enough about hiding out at Eric's safe house; I couldn't fathom leaving this world behind me altogether. "And things with Eric are getting better again. He is still committed to protecting me, if necessary. I don't want to leave him, sir. I hope you can understand that."

"Has his memory been repaired?"

"No, but the witches are working on it now. How did you know about what happened? Did Claudine tell you?" I wondered how much information was passing into his hands. I was rather free with Claudine; she was knew of the few people I could talk openly with.

"I have discussed the matter with my granddaughter, yes. She tells me he has no memory of you, but perfect recall of everything else in his life."

"That pretty much sums it up. He lost all of his memories when he was first cursed, only to lose everything related to me when it the curse was broken."

"That's an interesting side effect. I've never heard of a spell backfiring like that, but I don't keep up with the human magical community, either. I find it interesting that it is only you that is lost to him. It is most suspicious."

"I know. I think it's weird, too, but so much of what is happening is weird to me. Cursing him sent him straight to me, but curing him ripped him away. It's not fair at all, but at least we've gotten back to a point where we are working on a relationship again."

"I am pleased to hear that my child. Truly, I am. I've always known the vampire would be an ideal protector for you. I hadn't counted on magic getting I the way, but I am pleased you are working through it. I had feared leaving you unprotected." He sounded legitimately pleased. "I am curious, however, what you meant when you said the curse sent him to you?"

"I don't recall the exact wording, but something in the original curse had him near his heart's desire, and not know it. I believe I was his heart's desire, as do his maker and child," I didn't know why I felt I had to tell him others felt the same way as me, but it felt important to say it. "I found him running down the road by my house just after the curse. He was running to me, Grandfather."

"A likely assumption," came his considerate reply. "Why are the witches only now working on curing him? Didn't the curse happen weeks ago?"

"It did. When it first happened, though, Eric had a hard time understanding what he was missing," I replied as diplomatically as I could. I didn't think my great grandfather need to know the down and dirty details of those first few weeks.

"Has he forsaken others for you once more?"

Had I been standing, I would have crumpled to the floor. As it was, I shrank back into the couch, mortified and ashamed. Clearly, Claudine had spared no details. I was going to have to speak to her about boundaries one day soon.

"Yes, he has, Grandfather, and that's all I have to say on that subject." Mortification had turned my face beet red. "It is not an appropriate subject for us to discuss, do you understand?" I knew fairies, like vampires, had less than no shame when it came to sex, but where I was from, girls just didn't talk to their grandaddies about their sex life. Heck, where I was from, that was a sure fire way of making sure your beau was staring down the barrel of a shotgun before sundown. It just wasn't done.

"Forgive me, my child. I am merely concerned for your well being." His tone was appropriately formal, but there was a distinct lack of contrition. I decided to overlook it just to get this conversation over. He continued speaking, thankfully on another matter. "Preston Pardloe is extremely dangerous and very powerful. Claudine tells me your powers are maturing rapidly but I feel it would be prudent to step up your training. I'm not advocating you even attempting to face him alone, Sookie, I cannot stress that enough. No matter how much power you can muster, he can easily beat you. But you should keep training. I'm going to send Claudine to you for the next couple of days to show you some defensive manoeuvres. It would be prudent, however, for you to remain in a secure location until we can determine his intent."

"I think I am moving into one of Eric's safe houses this evening," I told him. "I was about to call him when you called. The house is warded and very secure. I will be fine there."

After assuring him once more that I did indeed want to stay here with Eric, I said goodbye. He assured me he would be in touch as soon as he had anything of importance to tell me. I gave him my cell phone number, thanked him again and hung up the phone.

The short conversation had left me feeling drained. All I wanted to do was go upstairs, crawl into my bed and pull the covers over my head. Perhaps then I could pretend that there wasn't yet another threat to my happiness. Resisting the urge took some effort, but I eventually picked up my cell phone from the counter and walked back into the living room. Resolutely ignoring the holiday cheer, I flopped down onto the couch and dialled Eric's number for the second time this evening. I closed my eyes and waited as it rang. He answered on the second ring.

"Sookie?" His deep voice was total devastation. I loved hearing my name come from him.

"Eric," I mimicked his greeting.

"Can we talk for a moment? I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"Never. Call anytime you like," he replied firmly. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to ask you for a favor."

"Anything," his reply was instantaneous.

"Can I stay at your house tonight?"


	69. Where vampires live

_**A huge shout out to all the lovely folks reading and taking the time to review this story. An enormous thanks to California Kat for sending so many eager readers this way! I hope you all are enjoying this story.**_

_**As always, I do not own these characters. I simply like to play with them!**_

* * *

><p>Predictably enough, the call to Eric had me heading to Shreveport to meet him. I made the long drive in much better time in my new SUV than I ever had in my old beater. I pulled into Fangtasia's parking lot fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. I was in no mood to endure the sophomoric thoughts of the bar's patrons this evening and the extra time was used to tighten and strengthen the shields I'd lowered before<p>

Skipping to the front of the line still felt awkward to me, but I proved I still had a little luck when I found Pam at the front of the line. At least I would be spared the awkwardness of explaining myself to an unknown vampire manning the door.

"Eric has been waiting for you," she said by way of greeting before ushering me through the crowd and into the back hallway. I didn't bother to respond until the door closed behind us and the volume level subsided.

"I had to pack an overnight bag, but I got on the road pretty quickly. He can't have been waiting too long," I told her.

"An overnight bag?" Pam's eyebrows arched dramatically over her Dresden blue eyes. Were the situation any less serious, I might have laughed at her comical expression, but I could only muster a grin in response.

"I guess Eric hasn't told you much about what's happening," I said as I smirked at her. In reality, Eric knew very little yet, but Pam didn't need to know that.

"It would seem he has not told me everything," the vampire replied. "No mention of sleepovers, my friend. Do tell."

"You may as well come on in with me," I told her. "Eric hasn't heard the whole story yet, either."

"But the sleepover?" Pam called out as I made my way towards Eric's door.

"Don't fret, Pam. We'll get to that part soon enough," I replied in my very sweetest voice. Even without looking, I could tell she was glaring daggers at my back. I smiled sweetly as I knocked on the door before trying the handle.

"Sookie," Eric greeted me with a nod as I entered the office. He stood, stepping gracefully around the desk to stand at my side. "It is good to see you." To my utter surprise, he leaned in placed a kiss on my cheek. I tried to be casual about it all, but I could feel the spot, just below my right cheekbone, where his lips had touched.

"You, too, Eric," I agreed with a small smile, looking up at him. He stood just a foot in front of me, a brooding expression on his handsome face. I twisted the strap of my purse in my hands, unsure of how to proceed.

"I wish it were under better circumstances," he said softly, his eyes staring at me intently. Finally realizing he was blocking me from making any moves, he took a step to the side and motioned towards the couch with a wave of his hand. "Would you like to sit?"

Even without really looking around, I could see the office had undergone some renovations since my last visit. The couch he indicated was clearly a new sofa, this one a deep royal blue. The chairs in front of his desk were new, too, I noticed as Pam carefully arranged herself in one, turning it to face the couch. I took a seat, Eric taking up position a mere two feet away.

"Sorry to be such a bother," I said. I wasn't dumb. I knew how lucky I was to be able to turn to Eric like this.

"It is no bother," Eric replied firmly. Pam simply nodded her head in agreement. "Your safety is paramount, Sookie. Never hesitate to come to me."

"Okay," I nodded my head. A month ago, I would never have expected him to help me, but the tides were turning once more.

"What's happening, Sookie?" Pam asked curiously.

"I'm not really sure," I said with a small frown. "I saw a fairy I knew, but not one I trust."

"There are Fae in the Area," she replied with a matching frown.

"I know, but he's not local. Claudine doesn't know him, although Niall does."

"Why does he worry you?" Eric interjected.

"I met him once before," I replied honestly, even as a lump formed in my throat as I thought of my time in San Juan. "He was really pushy and I just didn't get a good vibe from him."

"Where did you meet him?" Eric questioned, sounding a little harsher than normal. Was he jealous, I wondered?

"San Juan," I replied.

"So, you saw him where? Merlotte's?" Pam asked. I nodded affirmatively. "You are worried he's there for you?"

"That's what I'm not sure about. I don't know if he knows who I am. I gave him a fake name and hometown when we met, but I think it is more than a coincidence for him to be in Bon Temps." I shook my head slowly as I thought. "It was just so strange - conspicuous, really. He was sitting at the bar chatting up Jane Bodehouse. It was a dead giveaway something wasn't right with him - she's Bon Temps' resident drunk. No ones talks to her that much if they can avoid it."

"There are no coincidences when it comes to those tricky bastards," Eric muttered, almost to himself. "What were you doing in San Juan? When was this?"

"Umm, a few weeks ago," I replied, redirecting my gaze to the desk in front of me, rather than meeting his eyes. I noticed the desk had not been replaced; the gouges from my high heels were still plainly obvious. "When I left for a while," I finished awkwardly.

"I see," was Eric's only reply. Pam cleared her throat and shifted in her chair, but never commented. "Did he say what he wanted when you met him?"

"Not specifically," I grimaced, recalling how foolish I had been to practice magic in the open. "He tracked me down because he sensed the magic I'd been using while I was there. I just never thought there'd be another fairy around."

"He knows you are Fae?" Pam questioned sharply.

"Yes, he does."

A knowing glance passed between the two. I arched an eyebrow in their general direction.

"That's not great news," he explained. "It vastly increases the likelihood he is indeed looking for you."

"What were you doing using magic in public?" Pam questioned me.

"Just being foolish, I suppose. I found a secluded beach I liked and I used to practice there early in the morning. I never thought of the 'signature' that's left behind. I don't sense it, so I never thought about it until he mentioned it." It had been foolish, too. I did know better, even if I hadn't thought about it at the time.

"What did he say his name was?" Eric asked brusquely. I looked at him with a frown, but he simply looked back from under his slightly lowered lids. His ramrod straight posture was a straight tell to his mood. Eric was always much more relaxed in private; it was more common to see him sprawled back, taking up more than his share of space.

"He introduced himself as Preston Pardloe. I assume that is his real name."

"How did he approach you?" His follow up was just as brusque, only now it was he who was not meeting my gaze. His gaze was instead trained on the polished wooden surface of his desk. I wondered if he kept the desk as a souvenir, or as a reminder of what he could not recall.

"He just walked up to me on the beach," I told him, puzzled by his mood.

"What did he want?"

"I don't know. He just talked for a few minutes and I made my excuses."

"But why did he approach you?" I looked at him strangely and shrugged. His attitude was starting to piss me off and his line of questioning sucked.

"I told you I don't know why," I replied a touch testily.

Eric's gaze narrowed and if it were even possible, his back straightened even taller. I simply glared back at him. He was the one making this difficult.

"If I may," Pam interjected mildly, "I believe I can make this easier for everyone. Did the fairy ask you out, Sookie?"

"What? No!" I exclaimed, swivelling my head to gape at her. "He was just smarmy, kind of oily, you might say. He acted as if he was looking for friends, talking about how lonely it can be for the Fae in this realm. One part of me believed his spiel, but there was something completely insincere about him, too. But I didn't get the feeling he was hitting on me, as such."

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Eric's tight frame sink just a smidge, enough to tell me he was happy with my answer. Maybe he had been jealous after all. I wanted to laugh. Revenge sex was not my thing, even though I'd been witness to plenty of it occurring. I'd also borne witness to the heads filled with self loathing the next day. Eric might have deserved it if I had, but I did not deserve the repercussions of those actions. I had enough problems on my hands.

"So you gave him a fake name, gave him the brush off and now he's here," Pam summarized. Red lacquered nails tapped out a perfect beat on the arm of the chair she occupied as she thought for a moment. Eric had yet to speak and I watched Pam's nails dance rather than look at him right now. I needed to stay focused on the issues at hand rather than Eric's jealousy problems, even if they did make me squirm inside.

"That's pretty much it, except Amelia mentioned it might be possible for him to use Fae magic to infiltrate the wards they placed. She's assured me it's simply an outside possibility, but apparently my land has some kind of fairy magic attached to it and that makes it even more likely. Before you ask, I really don't know anything about it. Other people, including Godric, have mentioned it, but it's complete news to me. I haven't asked Claudine about it yet."

"Godric mentioned it to me, but he had no real answers, either." Eric rejoined the conversation, his tone considerably more civil. I glanced back to find him watching me. "I suspect he told you the same as me."

"Ah," Pam murmured suddenly. "The sleepover."

"Eric kindly agreed to let me stay at the Minden house when I told him my place might not be safe," I filled her in on the plan. "The wards are still in place and it's more secure."

"Hmm," she snorted while looking back and forth between us like we were recalcitrant school children in need of a scolding. I jumped back in before she could start.

"I spoke with Claudine earlier, and she got in touch with Niall."

"What did they have to say?"

"Well, as I said, Claudine didn't know him, but when she reached Niall, he called me."

"Personally? He called you himself?" Eric asked. "Impressive."

"I don't know about that, but he did tell me that this guy is bad news. He's associated with Niall's enemy. He's Water Fae, Niall said, although I'm not real clear on why that's bad."

"The Water Fae consider themselves the true heirs to the Fae kingdom. Braendon is their leader and considers Niall, the Sky Fae and the House of Brigant to be upstarts. The two sides have been at war for some time," he explained. A frown pulled his golden brows together in a line. "It is not good to have one of his men hanging around. There's no way this is coincidence. What did Niall say? Did he offer any advice?"

"Sure, he did. He offered to bring me to his realm." The explosion occurred rapidly. Eric bolted up from his seat to stand in front of me with fisted hands.

"Son of a bitch!" The curse fell from his lips at a volume just below what a reasonable person might consider a roar. "That fucking bastard! What did you tell him?"

"Geez, Eric, calm down. I'm here, aren't I?" As primitive as his response was, there was something very attractive about that man losing his mind at the idea of my leaving, no matter what his reason. "I said no. I told him I was happy with the way things were here."

"You did?" Eric paced back and forth between Pam and I for a moment before looking at me long and hard. He dropped back onto the sofa beside me and picked up my hand. "Thank you."

I smiled nervously at him, not sure how to respond. I was itching to release the stranglehold I had on the bond, just to confirm my feelings, but I resisted. Knowing he couldn't feel me made it feel almost like eavesdropping when I did let go and feel him. It was a strangely uncomfortable sensation. I was saved from an immediate response by Pam.

"If there's nothing else I need to know immediately, I'll go and start making some calls," she told Eric. He nodded his head in response.

"Check in with Rasul, too," he instructed. "I want everything he has on Appius before sunrise."

"Appius?" I sat straighter, looking to Eric for answers.

"We believe he is heading to Shreveport tonight," he confirmed gravely. "We can only surmise what he's doing here, but like your fairy, he's not good news."

"He's not my fairy," I protested automatically. "How do you know he's coming here?"

"Godric was by earlier. His spies in New Orleans are keeping him informed." Pam nodded at Eric and disappeared through the office door.

"Should we be worried?"

"I am," Eric admitted. My heart jumped in my chest with his he was worried, so am I. "Less so with you staying in Minden, but I don't like this, Sookie. He's an unknown variable we cannot change or predict. Appius is one of the most ruthless vampires I've ever met."

The back of the sofa supported my head as I dropped it backwards and stared at the ceiling.

"Jesus Christ. Is it ever going to change? I feel like I'm living my life on tenterhooks," I complained quietly. My head lifted and my eyes met his. Deep pools of azure stared back at me. He looked worried.

"Things are difficult now, but they can and will improve."

"Oh, really?" A bitter laugh escaped. "Let me know when that's going to happen. I wouldn't want to miss it."

A rare sigh emanated from the vampire next to me. "This has been difficult for you, hasn't it?"

"I'm not exactly used to running and hiding. Up until a few months ago, my life was as boring as watching paint dry. I can't quite say that anymore."

"I forget sometimes," he said, shaking his head.

"It's not your fault you can't remember, Eric."

His head shook again, loosening an errant lock of blonde hair. My fingers ached to smooth it back, but I kept them entwined in my lap. No matter how good things were going, I still had to remind myself he wasn't quite mine in that way anymore.

"I didn't mean the curse, I meant your age. Your inexperience. Your recent introduction to this world. I know all of those things, but sometimes it simply escapes me." A smile brightened his countenance, even if it were a little grim. "You hold yourself well, almost if you were born into this life."

"Oh," I replied uncertainly. I wasn't sure how to take his remarks. They were dangerously close to compliments and I never did learn to take them well. "That's all just for show, I guess. I'm like a newborn kitten when it comes to all this stuff. My entire life up until now has been about taking people at face value. I never really learned how to distrust people the way you do."

"You are a kind hearted soul, Sookie. You do not need to apologize for being who you are." A large hand engulfed mine and held it tight for a moment. Even with my summer tan fading fast, I was still so much darker than his pale, milky flesh. "But do not forget how strong you are, Sookie. "Your core is solid steel. Do not let this life beat you down. You are better than that. You must remember how strong you are, even if I forget sometimes."

"My grandmother was a strong woman," I told him. "She taught me to stand on my own two feet, but she didn't understand the life I would lead, I suppose."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Eric remarked, still clutching my hand in his. "She understood what was in this world; she had an affair with a fairy, Sookie. I think she might well have known what you might someday face."

"I guess I will never know," I admitted. I missed Gran fiercely, especially now. I could use a warm hug, a hot meal and a voice of reason right now. "She died before she could ever tell me about that part of her life. If she was ever going to tell me, that is."

"You miss her," he stated astutely.

"Yes, I do. She was my everything. Mother, father, grandmother, best friend. Gran did everything for us, and sacrificed so much so we could be happy. But she never, not once, ever alluded to there being more in this world. Why do you think that was?"

"Humans tend to think they will have the time they need to accomplish their goals, no matter how tenuous their hold on life is. I'm sure she intended to tell you her truth." His words were kind, but I could tell he was simply making an effort to be nice. He could no more determine my dead grandmother's intentions any more than me. Still, I took small comfort in his words. More than anything else, Gran's lack of disclosure was hard for me to understand. Logically, I understand how hard it would be for her to tell me such bald truths about her personal life, but I couldn't help but wonder why she never mustered the courage to tell me. It's not like I was a child; I was a grown woman when she passed.

"It is what it is. There's no point dwelling," I said."That was one of her favorite sayings, you know. It makes more sense to me now."

"Dwelling is counterproductive," he agreed. "But there's quite a difference between dwelling on the past and careful thinking and planning for your future."

I wasn't so sure we were talking about me and Gran anymore. Our past, mine and Eric's, had been dwelled on long enough. I agreed wholeheartedly with that point. Was he thinking of a future between us, just as I was?

"Okay, so how much thinking do I have to do to get rid of Appius?" I asked with a small grin on my face.

Eric laughed. "I wish it were that simple, little one."

"Me, too. But don't call me little one. It makes me feel smaller than I am."

"Point taken. What did I call you before?"

I opened my mouth to respond before clamping it shut once more. How do I answer that one? "You called me Sookie, mostly."

"Mostly?" he questioned sharply.

"Yeah, well, it is my name, after all."

"But mostly implies I used some other name, at least occasionally."

"And you did," I told him breezily. "Not my fault you can't remember, though."

"Playing dirty, are we?" A brilliant smile lit up Eric's face, giving him a more youthful look. How old had he been when he was turned? I realized I had no idea how long he'd lived as a human. "Be careful, Miss Stackhouse. Two can play that game."

I smiled, relieved his mood had improved and the tension was dissipating rapidly. Playing dirty wasn't really my game; I was, in fact, trying not to get dirty.

"Like I'm worried," I scoffed merrily. "Even if you did have ammunition, you can't remember what it was."

"Don't worry about me," he informed me with an evil smirk twisting his pale lips. "I always figure a way to get what I want."

"Maybe before you met me," I retorted. I found myself relaxing as we bantered back and forth. This Eric was what I needed, not the scowly, grumbling Eric from before. "If your advanced age didn't prevent you from remembering things, you would know I'm no pushover."

"My advanced age?" For a moment, I thought I'd gone too far in my jesting, but I soon recognized the happy twinkle in his eyes. "You are an incorrigible minx."

"Now you did call me that before," I informed him with a grin. "Several times, actually."

"That may be what I call you from now on," he replied. "It suits you."

Laughter bubbled up and spilled out. "If that's the best you can come up with, then I was right not to be concerned."

"You haven't seen the best I can come up with," he retorted huskily and I fought not to squirm under his suddenly intense gaze. Somehow, I didn't think we were talking about the same thing anymore.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" His eyes darkened at my statement, but otherwise his expression didn't waver. The intense, smouldering gaze continued to linger on me until nerves started building. Predictably enough, I started to babble. "I'm still not worried, though. I'm sure you will get your memories back soon, anyway, then you will have the answers you want."

"Let's hope," he replied simply, still looking directly at me. His statement sounded simple, but the look on his face belied the simplicity of his words.

"I think I'm going to go get a drink," I told him, even though I wasn't sure where the idea came from. Picking my purse up from where I'd left it on the floor, I stood, with Eric quickly following suit. "Can I get you anything?"

"I can have someone bring you a drink," he told me, his eyes narrowing just a little as he spoke.

"No, it's fine," I said. "You probably have work to do, too. I'll just go out and get myself a drink. I'll drop back to get the keys for the house in a few minutes." He didn't protest as I made my way to the door, but I could feel his eyes on my back. I didn't look back as I exited the room, but I felt sure he remained standing in the exact same position.

The music was loud and the crowd boisterous as I made my way to the bar. It wasn't exactly where I wanted to be right now, and I was thankful for the extra time I spent constructing the solid shields my brain was currently enjoying. You didn't need to be a telepath to know what was on the minds of Fangtasia's loyal customers and the vampires were easily identifiable by the faint glow emanating from their pale skin.

A bartender I didn't know approached me as soon as I'd squeezed my way into a spot at the crowded bar. Knowing I had to drive, I asked for a Coke and watched as he opened a fresh can and poured it over a tall glass of ice. He placed it in front of me with a flourish, waving away the money I offered him.

"Whatever you want is on the house, Miss Stackhouse. Boss's orders," he told me politely. I wondered briefly how he knew who I was, and which boss he meant, but decided in the end it did not matter. If there was a photo or something of me back behind the bar, I didn't want to know. Thanking him politely, and slipping the five dollar bill I held into the tip jar on the side of the bar, I picked up my drink and wandered into the crowd. There were few things as depressing as being alone in a bar and it made me realize how little I'd seen my friends lately. A smile touched my lips as I thought of the first trip Lala had made to Fangtasia with me and of all the dancing we'd done. I made a mental note to call him tomorrow and let him know what was going on. Someone should know where I was, I figured.

My Coke was soon nothing but watery ice cubes and my wandering became more deliberate as I looked for somewhere to discard my glass. The tables were all occupied and I knew there was nothing more annoying than a stranger dumping their empties at your table. Spying a bussing station at the far end of the bar, I dodged in and out of the mingling crowd until I was close enough to drop my glass. My brain had moved on to thinking of Eric again and I almost walked past Pam. I would in fact have bypassed her completely if she hadn't laid a hand on my arm as I walked by.

"Your head is in the clouds, my friend," she commented as I stopped and blankly stared at her for a second. "Thinking of your sleepover, perhaps?"

I rolled my eyes at her juvenile attitude. "No, my mind was just elsewhere, I suppose. And there's nothing more to this sleepover as you call it than my safety. There's nothing to think about."

"I'm sure," came her snarky rejoinder, complete with matching eye rolls. "But I'm sure you're right. After all, it's not like you haven't experienced this before, right? I'm sure you and Eric will be as snug as bugs, just like you were before."

Snug as bugs was a fairly accurate, but the situation was not nearly the same. My head was shaking as I answered. "Not quite. Eric isn't even staying with me this time. I told you I'm only there for the wards."

Her intelligent blue eyes widened fractionally, a look I recognized as one adopted from her sire, before a delicate tinkle of laughter spilled over her crimson painted lips.

"Oh, Sookie! You do amuse me so." Her light laughter continued as she looked me in the eye. "Of course Eric will be there, you silly girl. Where else would he be? He lives there."

Oh, crap. How could I not know that? Looking at Pam's sweet smile, I had to wonder.

What the hell have I gotten myself into this time?

* * *

><p><em><strong>And another chapter down. I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but we're actually getting closer to the end all the time.<strong>_

_**Hope you enjoyed. Eric's POV coming up next, along with an upswing in the action!**_

_**Please be kind enough to review and tell me what you think of the story so far. Hearing from invested readers simply makes my day!**_


End file.
